Naruto: Path of Radiance
by Kurama no Kyubi
Summary: When escorting a man through a desert, team 7 get's separated and sent to the different corners of Tellius. And now they must aid Ike and his company, defeating the forces of Daein and the mad king Ashnard.
1. Chapter 1

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**A/N: This is a Naruto/Fire Emblem crossover that I've had in mind for a while. Beware that in this story, two of the main Naruto characters will be Laguz and if you want, I could have some of the other Naruto characters be Laguz as well.**

"Fire Emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire Emblem.'_ Normal thought

"**Fire Emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire Emblem.'**_** Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own ANYTHING.

Prologue

Somewhere in the forest was a man with a brown hooded cloak, covering his entire body walking down the road.

He exited the forest, coming out in front of a large wall with a huge open gate and behind the wall was a large village, which was easily the size of a city.

"Konohagakure no Sato." The man read the writing that was above the gate out loud before walking into the village.

The man walked through the streets and noticed a young boy that couldn't be more than 12 or 13 years old with spiky blond hair and bright orange clothes, and he had a Hitai-ate on his forehead with Konoha's insignia on it. But the most distinguishable aspects about him would be his fox-like ears, coming up through his hair, his six whisker marks, three on each cheek and his long yellow fox tail.

As the man and the boy passed each other, there was a moment when their eyes met and after they had gotten a few centimeters away from one another, the man stared back and saw what looked like a red spiral on the boys back.

The boy looked back, wondering who that man was, but when he had turned around, the man was gone.

"Hey, where'd that guy go?" The boy asked himself as he looked around frantically, trying to find out where the man had disappeared of to.

"NARUTO!" The boy, now identified as Naruto turned around to see a girl his age with pink hair and red clothes "Naruto, where have you been? Kakashi-sensei's waiting for us."

"But Sakura-chan…" Naruto started, trying to come up with an excuse, but then he processed what Sakura had just said "Wait. Kakashi-sensei's waiting?"

"Hai, he actually came before us this time, so come on." Sakura said as she grabbed Naruto's tail and started dragging him towards training ground 3. Of course she wondered why the boy that she was currently dragging had a tail, but then again Sasuke-kun had a pair of fiery red wings like those of a certain mythological bird, so she didn't question it.

On the roof of a building was the man watching the scene that happened on the streets below.

'_An Uzumaki, huh? And here I thought that they were extinct, but I guess that at least one of them must've survived.'_ He thought as he looked towards the Hokage tower, remembering what he had come here for.

Training ground 3

"By time dope." Sasuke said as Sakura dragged Naruto into the training field.

Sasuke had raven-black hair that could resemble a duck's butt, black eyes, a dark blue t-skirt with a white and red fan on the back, white wristbands, white shorts and a Hitai-ate with Konoha's insignia on it. But the most noticeable aspect about him would be his large fiery red wings that came out of his back and reached almost down to the ground.

Kakashi had silver hair, a mask over the bottom half of his face, his Hitai-ate was going diagonally over his left eye, leaving only his right eye and a little around it visible and he had a jonin uniform.

"Alright, I've decided to check how far you've progressed in both skill and teamwork, so…" Kakashi said while taking out a couple of bells.

"What, we have to do the bell test again?" Naruto said.

"You probably remember the rules, you've got till midday, come at me with everything you've got and if you're not prepared to kill, you will not get a bell." Kakashi attached the bells to his vest, took out a kunai and said "Begin."

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura quickly shunshined away and the battle began.

Naruto was hiding on a branch, trying to see if he could pick up the scent of either Sakura-chan or Sasuke. And thanks to his nose, which was better than even that of an Inuzuka, it didn't take long till he found them, and he quickly moved through the trees towards Sakura-chan's position.

"Hey, Sakura-chan." Naruto whispered when he reached her and she quickly turned around.

"Naruto, where'd you come from?" She asked, not having noticed his approach till he was right behind her.

"Nowhere in particular. Anyway I think I've got a plan."

"You've got a plan? Well that's a first." Sakura said, surprised that Naruto of all people could come up with a plan.

"But unfortunately, we'll need Sasuke for the plan to succeed, unless you've somehow learned the Goukakyo and have somehow gotten yourself a Sharingan." Naruto said, obviously not wanting to bring Sasuke in on the plan.

Meanwhile Sasuke was hiding on a branch, waiting for the right moment to strike, preferably after Naruto had made his foolish attempt at attacking the jonin head-on just like last time.

He suddenly felt something approaching and he quickly drew a kunai and turned around to see that it was only Naruto and Sakura.

"What are you two doing here?" Sasuke asked in a whisper.

"I've got a plan that I think might work." Naruto said, surprising Sasuke.

Kakashi had gotten a little of waiting, so he had gotten out his favorite book, Icha-Icha Violence **(A/N: The sequel to Icha-Icha Paradise.)** and was currently reading when he suddenly sensed movement from…above?

He quickly closed book, put it back into his weapons pouch and dashed out of the way, just as a fire ball came crashing into the ground where he had just been standing. But then he stepped on a wire and suddenly kunai came shooting at him from all different directions.

"Doton: Moguragakure no jutsu." He said as he finished a sequence of hand signs, and he dropped down into the ground.

Sasuke had however seen the hand sign sequence with his Sharingan and quickly flew down and straight into the ground, using the same jutsu.

Suddenly Kakashi was sent up, out of the ground by Sasuke, as Naruto came at him with a spiraling ball of pure chakra in his right hand.

"RASENGAN." Naruto yelled as he slammed the technique into Kakashi's stomach and he was sent spiraling backwards, into a tree and lost consciousness for several seconds.

When he woke up Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura was standing in front of him, with Sakura and Sasuke holding the bells while Naruto was standing between them, giving his signature foxy grin and wiggling his tail.

"I'm impressed, you're teamwork has improved considerably." Kakashi said as he looked up at the two smiling and one smirking teens.

Suddenly an ANBU came and said "Kakashi-senpai, Hokage-sama has summoned you and your team."

Hokage tower

Kakashi and his team walked into the Hokage's office to see Tsunade, sitting at her desk. Her assistant, Shizune is standing next to her, holding the pig Tonton. And in front of the desk was the man from before.

Tsunade had long blond hair in twin-ponytails, grey clothes under a green kimono with the kanji for gamble on the back and a small crystal on her forehead.

Shizune had black hair and a matching black kimono.

"Hey, you're that guy I passed by earlier." Naruto said as he walked in and the man turned around.

"The name's Sephiran, nice to meet you." The man said as he removed his hood, revealing that he had long black hair.

"Hokage-sama, you summoned us." Kakashi said.

"Yes, I have a mission for you." Tsunade said.

"FINALLY, DATTEBAYO." Naruto yelled, not having had a mission since Tsunade had become Hokage.

"Sephiran, here…" Tsunade started, gesturing to their guest "Is trying to get through the desert of death and he would like some escorts."

"The desert of death?" Kakashi asked, wondering why anyone would wanna try crossing such a dangerous desert.

"What's the desert of death? Is it like the forest of death or anything?" Naruto asked.

"The desert of death is a very treacherous desert that lies to the west of the Land of Wind. There isn't anything on the other side of it though; at least I don't think there is." Sakura said as she looked quizzically at Tsunade.

"That will also be your mission, to find out what's on the other side of that desert." Tsunade said.

"Go and get what you need, we'll meet at the gate in one hour." Kakashi said and everyone but him, Tsunade, Shizune and Tonton left the room.

"Be careful, this might be a trap." Tsunade said as soon as the door was closed.

"What makes you so sure?" Kakashi asked.

"That man, Sephiran, he personally requested your team for this mission." Tsunade said.

"You think he's after Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

"That might be a possibility." Tsunade said.

At the gate, 1 hour later

Everyone except for Kakashi was at the gate waiting for the jonin to arrive.

"I knew it wouldn't last." Sakura said, having hoped that he would be on time since he was earlier that day.

"I'm sure he's got a good reason to be late." Sephiran said, having put his hood back up over his head.

After they had waited for an hour, Kakashi finally showed up in puff of smoke.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Naruto and Sakura yelled.

"But you see, there was this black cat that crossed my path so I had to take the long way around the village." Kakashi tried one of his usual excuses, knowing that no one would believe it.

"See? I told you he had a good reason." Sephiran said as Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke looked oddly at him. Was this guy for real?

The desert of death, 5 days later

The group was walking in the normal formation that they used when escorting someone. Kakashi and Sakura in the front, scouting for any bandits or animals that might attack them, Naruto in the back, using his heightened senses to pinpoint any potential threat, Sasuke in the air above the others, patrolling the skies and Sephiran, safely in the middle of the formation.

"Hey, Sephiran-san, why do you wanna cross this desert anyway? Dattebayo." Naruto asked.

"Well, I could say that it's out of pure curiosity, but then I'd be lying." Sephiran started, taking a pause before continuing "Actually to tell the truth, my home is on the other side."

"Your home? But Sakura-chan said that there weren't anything on the other side." Naruto said.

"That's because no one has ever survived this desert before. So it was simply assumed that there weren't anything on the other side." Kakashi said.

"Actually there are a total of 7 countries there." Sephiran said.

"Seven?" Sakura said before Sephiran nodded.

"The Begnion Empire, where I'm from, Daein, Crimea, Gallia, Goldoa, Phoenicis and Kilvas. Collectively known as Tellius."

"Why haven't we heard of those places?" Sakura asked.

"It's because of the desert that separates our two continents. I might be the only one to have ever actually crossed it." Sephiran said.

"Wow, then you must be pretty strong, Dattebayo." Naruto said.

"Well, I do have my moments."

"Guys there's a sandstorm coming towards us." Sasuke said, getting everyone's attention.

"Sasuke can you see any places where we can take shelter from up there?" Kakashi asked.

"None." Sasuke said and Kakashi turned to Naruto who then used his zoom-in vision to try and see if there were anywhere to take shelter and he found it.

"There…" he started as he pointed in the direction that was looking in while deactivating his zoom-in vision "There's a large ruin about 10 miles to the north-west of here."

"That's too far away, isn't there anything closer?" Sakura asked, but Naruto shook his head.

"No, there isn't." Naruto replied.

"In that case it appears that I've got no other choice then to use this." Sephiran said as he brought out some kind of staff from within his cloak "Even though it's only a prototype. Everyone gather around me."

The others gathered around him as he suddenly started chanting something in an unknown language and suddenly, a golden glyph appeared on the sand under them and in the blink of an eye, all five of them vanished. **(A/N: Now we know how he got through the desert.)**

Begnion Empire, Sienne

In one of the many streets in Sienne, the capital in Begnion a golden glyph suddenly appeared on the ground and Sephiran and Kakashi came out of nowhere before the glyph vanished.

"What just happened?" Kakashi asked.

"It's a Rewarp staff, with it I can instantly bring both myself and anyone I want to wherever I want to go, however it's only a prototype and it's so far the only one of its kind." Sephiran said.

"Then why didn't you just use it to cross the desert in the first place?" Kakashi asked.

"Because I wasn't even sure if it would work, and it apparently didn't work exactly as I had hoped since it appears we got split up." Sephiran said as the staff suddenly cracked.

"What's happening?" Kakashi said just as the staff broke apart and fell down on the ground.

"As I said, it's only a prototype, so it'll be good for about one use before breaking."

The desert of death, ruins

Meanwhile in the same ruins that Naruto had spotted, Sakura suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Hello? Anyone?" she looked around, not seeing anyone near her "Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke-kun, Sephiran-san, Naruto?"

She started walking down a long corridor, but she stopped when she heard what sounded like…singing?

She walked towards where the singing was coming from before entering a large room. And there on a chair was a man with white clothes, long blond hair and a pair of majestic-looking white wings.

To the man's right was a wolf with grey fur sitting and to the man's left was a wolf with snow-white fur.

"Beautiful." Sakura whispered as she walked into the room, but the man and the two wolfs heard her and they looked towards her as the man stopped singing.

Sakura got a little nervous when she saw that they were looking at her and she took a step back.

"You don't need to be afraid. I am Rafiel, prince of the Herons and these are my friends…" He gestured to the white wolf "Nailah, queen of the Wolfs…" He gestured to the grey wolf "And her servant Volug."

Phoenicis waters

In the ocean surrounding the island nation of Phoenicis was Sasuke lying, unconscious.

As he was about to sink down into the water, three men came flying over.

One of them had blond, almost brownish hair, a red tunic, a yellow belt, a green scarf, pale green shorts and large brown wings. This was Janaff, the Hawk king's 'eyes'.

The second one had brown hair, a brown sleeve-less tunic with black clothes underneath, a yellow belt and large dark brown wings. This was Ulki, the Hawk kings 'ears'.

The third one had spiky black hair, a red bandana, a green, open trench coat, a black belt, white pants, black boots and large brown wings. This was the Hawk king, Tibarn.

"see? I said that he had red wings." Janaff said as Tibarn picked the unconscious Uchiha up.

"We should get him back to the castle." Tibarn said as he looked over Sasuke's wings and thought '_A Phoenix? But I thought they went extinct a long time ago.'_

Crimea

Naruto was looking around wondering where he were, but he was too preoccupied with admiring the scenery that he didn't hear, smell or sense a bandit that was sneaking up behind him and before he knew it everything went black.

Chapter preview

Naruto "Where am I?"

Mist "Those bandits must have gotten you too, but don't worry my brother, Ike-onii-san will save us."

Naruto "Sorry, but I don't have time to wait, Kage Bunshin no jutsu…RASENGEN."

Ike "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: The Greil Mercenaries

Character status

Naruto: Class: genin.

Level: 5

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken, claws.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Sasuke: Class: genin.

Level: 5

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin, Goukakyo, Housenka, Chidori, Moguragakure.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Phoenix Laguz.

Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan.

Sakura: Class: genin.

Level: 1

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Beorc.

Kakashi: Class: jonin.

Level: 20

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin, Kage Bunshin, Raikiri, Magen: Narakumi, Doton: Shinju zanshu, Doton: Doryuheki, Doton: Moguragakure, Fuja hoin, Katon: Goukakyo, Genjutsu: Sharingan, Kirigakure, Raiton: Kage Bunshin, Taju Kage Bunshin, Sennen Goroshi, Kage Bunshin, Sairento kiringu, Kuchiyose, Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga, Mizu Bunshin, Suiton: Daibakufu, Suiton: Suijinheki, Suiton: Suiryudan.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Beorc.

Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan.

**A/N: I will put up a pairing poll with Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto will be paired up with Sakura, Mist, Lethe or Mia. Sasuke will be paired up with Sakura, Leanne, Micaiah or Ena. Sakura will be paired up with Naruto, Sasuke, Rolf or Sothe. Also if you want you can vote for more than just one, for example if you want to you can vote that Naruto will be paired with all four. Also I'm writing seven other stories so there might be a while till my next update.**


	2. The Greil Mercenaries

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Mercenary arc  
**

**A/N: Sorry for not having updated in a while, but since I'm writing 8 stories including this one, I decided that each week I would concentrate on another story. I had originally planned that this would be the seventh story, but when I saw that it was one of the two stories that have gotten the most reviews I decided to move it up so that it became the second, but after this week you'll still have to wait for 2 months for the next update. Now read, enjoy and review.**

"Fire emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire emblem.'_ Normal thought

"**Fire emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire emblem.' **_**Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Disclaimer:** Sadly I don't own Naruto or Fire emblem.

Chapter 1: The Greil Mercenaries

He had no idea where he was, he heard what sounded like a boy crying and there was a girl trying to comfort him.

He opened his eyes to see that they were in a dark room and over at the wall was a boy with green hair, a blue tunic, shoulder guards on his shoulders and green shorts.

Next to the boy was a girl with brown hair that went down to her shoulders, a yellow blouse and a blue scarf around her neck.

Naruto quickly found out that he could barely move thanks to the chains that tied his arms a feet together, had been rope he could have broken out easily, but even with his incredible strength chains was a little too much.

He also noticed that his tail was chained to the wall so it was pretty much useless right now.

"Where am I?" Naruto asked himself and the girl heard him.

"Hey, Rolf-kun look, he's awake." The girl said and ran over to where Naruto was lying.

"Hey, do you have a name?" The girl asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Was Naruto's reply as he was trying to weave the signs for one of the most basic jutsus with one hand behind his back.

"My name's Mist…" The girl said before pointing at the boy who looked like he'd been crying for a while "…and that's Rolf-kun."

"Rope untying no jutsu." Naruto said as he was finally able to weave the last sign and the chains on his hands just came off of their own accord, surprising Mist and Rolf.

Naruto then got up into a sitting position and he charged wind chakra through his claws, making them even sharper than they were before and he cut clean through the chains around his feet and tail.

After seeing this Mist stepped back a little, afraid that Naruto would attack her.

"Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you if that's what you think." Naruto reassured her and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Uh, what happened?" Naruto asked himself.

"Those bandits must have gotten you too, but don't worry. My brother, Ike-onii-san will save us." Mist said as Naruto stood up to his full height.

Then he suddenly heard the sounds of battle and whoever was fighting the bandits was getting closer to the shack that he, Mist and Rolf were in.

"Sorry, but I don't have time to wait." Naruto said as he made his favorite hand sign "Kage Bunshin no jutsu."

Mist's and Rolf's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as a second Naruto appeared in a puff of smoke.

Both Naruto's walked over to the door and the clone started rotating the chakra in the original's hand until a perfect sphere was formed and he thrusted the sphere at the door.

"RASENGAN." Naruto yelled as the door got blown to pieces and three bandits that where standing just outside the shack turned around and was surprised to see that the sub-human had gotten free.

"How did you get free? We tied you up in chains." The one who was probably the leader of the bandits said.

Naruto just smiled before charging at the bandits and he punched one of them in the gut hard enough to break his spine and then he delivered an equally powerful roundhouse kick to another one and then it was only the leader left.

The leader swung his axe at Naruto, but the Jinchuriki got out a kunai and blocked the axe.

"A sub-human, wielding human tools? That's unheard of." The leader said, but something inside Naruto ticked at the term that the bandit used.

"Sub-human?" Naruto said, anger evident in his voice and he started sending a huge amount of wind chakra into his kunai and instantly sliced straight through the bandit's axe and neck.

Naruto looked down on the bandit, stunned at what he had just done, but right now he didn't care, he let his animal instincts take over for the time being until all of the remaining bandits are dead.

Mist and Rolf stared out through the wrecked door and couldn't believe how easily the three bandits were taken out and by someone who couldn't be much older than them no less.

Naruto ran towards a nearby group of four bandits and he easily plowed through them.

After they were done for he noticed a bunch of bandits in the distance that were fighting some people that seemed to be easily able to take out the bandits.

One of them had spiky blue hair, a black bandana, a shoulder guard on his left shoulder, a crimson cape with a white underside, a blue tunic, white pants and he was using a sword.

Another one had spiky dark green hair, a brown headband, shoulder guards on his shoulders, a red tunic, green pants and was using an axe.

Another one was riding on a brown horse, he had green hair, green armor and was using a lance.

There was also one that was riding on a white horse, she had long red hair that was tied into a long ponytail, white armor and she was using an axe.

Naruto could also spot one that was in the back wearing a white cloak and had orange hair and was using a staff.

"Hey, the Sub-human broke out." One of the bandits yelled in fear as Naruto ran towards them.

'_Sub-human?'_ Was the collective thought of the people that were fighting the bandits.

Naruto then made the Kage Bunshin hand sign and four clones of him appeared.

"U…" One of the clones kicked one of the remaining three bandits up into the air "zu…" Another bandit was kicked up into the air "ma…" The third bandit got kicked up into the air "ki…" Naruto used his fourth clone as a stepping board and got above the bandits.

"Naruto rendan." He yelled as he delivered a powerful kick to the bandits and they crashed down on the ground.

Naruto then landed on the ground and his clones disappeared in puffs of smoke and no one who had seen it could believe their own eyes.

"Ike-onii-san." "Oscar-onii-san, Boyd-onii-san." Mist and Rolf yelled respectively and ran past Naruto.

"Mist-nee-chan, you're alright." The one with the blue hair, probably Ike said before he went down on his knees and hugged Mist.

"Rolf, you're alright." The boy with dark green hair said.

Suddenly Naruto tensed as he heard something coming towards him at an alarming rate and he quickly turned around and grabbed an arrow just before it could've hit him in between the eyes.

He then took out a shuriken and threw it towards where the arrow had come from and someone came rolling out of the bushes to dodge it.

He had red hair in a ponytail, a red tunic, a brown scarf around the neck, white pants and he was using a bow.

"Another bandit?" Naruto asked as he flexed his claws, ready to strike and the sniper prepared another arrow and suddenly Mist came up in front of Naruto in a protective stance.

"Shinon-san stop, he's not one of the bandits." Mist yelled.

"Mist-chan's right, he saved us." Rolf said.

"And what makes you think that he's trustworthy? For all we know, he could be working with the bandits and only saved so that you'd get a false sense of security." The man, now identified as Shinon argued.

"That doesn't explain why he helped us take them out." Ike argued back.

"He's a sub-human, of course he'd kill them if it meant killing more of us humans." Shinon said before Naruto suddenly pushed Mist out of the way.

"Fine, you wanna go and kill me? Then go ahead I dare you." Naruto said and Shinon aimed at the Jinchuriki's heart and fired.

"NO." Mist yelled as she ran up in front of Naruto again.

"Mist-nee-chan." Ike yelled, but Naruto quickly got around Mist and the arrow hit him in the back.

"You alright Mist? Good." Was the last words Naruto said before collapsing down on the ground.

"NARUTO, Rhys-san you've got to help him." Mist said as the man with carrying a staff stepped forward, got down on his knees in front of Naruto, pulled out the arrow and put the red orb that was on top of his staff over the wound and the orb started glowing as the wound slowly started to heal.

Chapter preview

Shinon "I've never seen nor heard of a sub-human that uses weapons before."

Naruto "So we're supposed to stop the pirates before they do anymore harm?"

Marcia "You said you knew the whereabouts of my older brother."

Titania "Greil mercenaries, move out."

Gatrie "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Pirates aground."

Character status

Naruto: Class: genin.

Level: 6

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Ike: class: ranger.

Level: 4

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron sword.

Race: Beorc.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 2

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Boyd: Class: fighter.

Level: 4

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe.

Race: Beorc.

Oscar: Class: lance knight.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Rhys: Class: priest.

Level: 4

Techniques: Heal.

Weapons: heal staff.

Race: Beorc.

Shinon: Class: sniper.

Level: 1

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel bow.

Race: Beorc.

**A/N: And that's that. Again sorry for the wait, but I hope it was worth it. Also if you think I made Naruto a little over powered in this chapter just look at Titania, she's way too over powered in the game plus Naruto's a ninja and as we all now, bandits are no match for ninja. On a side note, last chapter I said that there would be three pairing polls, one for Naruto, one for Sasuke and one for Sakura, but I could only have one up on my profile at a time so I decided that each time I got done with a chapter for this story I would temporarily put away the current poll and put up one of the other two. Also the cycle will be this: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura.**


	3. Pirates aground

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Mercenary arc  
**

"Fire emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire emblem.'_ Normal thought

"**Fire emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire emblem.' **_**Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Disclaimer:** I own NOTHING.

Chapter 2: Pirates aground

When Naruto came to he was lying on a bed in some kind of fort and sitting next to the bed was Mist who smiled when she saw that Naruto was awake and she ran towards the door and opened it.

"Tou-san, he's awake." She yelled and shortly after came a man with brown hair, a dark green tunic, a shoulder guard on his left shoulder and a yellow cape came through the door.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake. Mist you can go now." The man said and Mist left the room before the closed the door behind him.

"I'm Greil, the Commander of the Greil mercenaries." The man said as he walked towards the bed that Naruto was on and he sat down where Mist had been sitting earlier "So, I heard that you saved my daughter and her friend."

"I guess you could say that." Naruto said as he got up in a sitting position "Name's Naruto by the way, Uzumaki Naruto. Shinobi of Konohagakure no sato."

"What's a shinobi?" Greil asked.

"It's another word for ninja." Naruto said.

"Titania told me that you took out several bandits on your own and you even used weapons. That's pretty unusual for any Laguz." Greil said.

"Laguz?" Naruto asked, not getting the term.

"You're a Laguz and you don't even know it?" Greil asked shocked.

"Well no, I've never even heard that word before." Naruto said.

"Well Laguz are people like you, some of them have tails and others have wings and they usually fights in their transformed state." Greil explained.

"Transformed state?" Naruto asked.

"You don't even know that?" Greil asked before sighing heavily.

Phoenicis, royal palace

In the throne room of the royal palace in Phoenicis, the country of Hawks was Tibarn talking to a man with blond hair, white robes and large, majestic wings. This was Reyson, the Heron prince of Serenes forest. As they were talking, the doors suddenly burst open and a Hawk came running in.

"Tibarn-sama, the boy is awake!" The Hawk yelled and Tibarn and Reyson immediately headed to the infirmary to find out how it was possible for a Phoenix to be alive after all this time.

When they got there, they saw that the boy was sitting in his hospital bed and his pouch which oddly enough had weapons in it were on a table next to the bed.

"So, you're finally awake. You had us worried there for a second." Tibarn said as he approached the boy.

"Where am I? How did I get here? And who the heck are you?" The boy outright demanded as he stood up to his feet.

"Hey watch your tongue kid, you're in the presence of Tibarn-sama, king of Phoenicis." The captain of the soldiers that had been assigned to guard the kid said.

"Stand down." Tibarn ordered and the captain as well as all of his men took a step back as the captain ushered a "Yes, sir:"

"As for your questions kid, I'm the king of this island country of ours, name's Tibarn and this here is Reyson, prince of the Herons." Tibarn said as he gestured to Reyson at the last part "You're in Phoenicis, the country of Hawks and as for how you got here. I don't really know, but what I do know is that me and two of my men found you in the middle of the ocean. Now what's your name?"

"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke stated bluntly.

"Alright then Sasuke, I would like to know how it is that you Phoenix's are still alive." Tibarn said.

"Phoenix?" Sasuke asked.

"You don't know what you are? Have you heard the term Laguz then?" Tibarn asked.

"No." Sasuke stated bluntly "I'm from the other side of the desert of death."

Tibarn and Reyson were surprised by this and they then proceeded to explain everything about Laguz to Sasuke.

Crimea, Greil's retreat

Greil had told Naruto all he could about Laguz or rather as much as he could explain, being a Beorc, though Naruto found it weird that Greil would know the proper term for Beorcs considering that almost all Beorcs has forgotten that term and are calling themselves humans, which Naruto learned was originally an insult that many Laguz still used.

Naruto had also agreed that at least until he found his friends, he'd join the Greil mercenaries, it wasn't that much of a job change anyway. Mercenaries and ninja are practically the same, ninja are only stronger.

Naruto walked out of the fort and Mist and Rolf ran over to him.

"Hey, Naruto-san. Could you teach us those techniques you used when fighting the bandits?" Rolf asked enthusiastically.

"Sure, I guess, but you'll have to learn how to use chakra first." Naruto replied.

"Chakra?" The two kids asked in complete unison.

"It's the energy that shinobi uses." Naruto said.

"Could you teach us to use it?" Mist asked, but before Naruto could reply…

"Unfortunately, that'll have to wait." The three turned around to see Titania coming out of the fort "Naruto-san will be coming with me, Ike-san, Shinon-san and Gatrie-san on a mission."

"Hold it, I'm not going on a mission with that…that thing." Shinon said as he pointed at Naruto who frowned.

"You're going on a mission with him whether you like it or not!" Titania said.

"What's the mission?" Naruto asked.

"A port town named Talma has asked us to take care of some pirates that's hanging around there." Titania said.

"So we're supposed to stop the pirates before they do anymore harm?" Naruto asked and Titania nodded. Naruto then turned to Mist and Rolf.

"Sorry, but I promise that I'll teach you as soon as we get back, Dattebayo." Naruto said before walking after the others.

Crimea, Port Talma

Titania, Ike, Naruto, Shinon and Gatrie walked in through Talma's gates and they could easily see the pirate ship that was docked.

Gatrie had blond-almost brown hair, he had heavy blue armor and was using a lance.

"That's the pirate ship in question, isn't it?" Titania asked an old man.

"Aye. They sailed into port a few days ago and have been causing trouble ever since. I pray that you and your companions can drive them away." The old man said.

"I understand. We'll do all we can." Titania said.

"Feathering sea scum is like shooting apples off a tree. Let's do the job and get out of here." Shinon said.

"Ho, Deputy Commander! You want standard thunder and lightning maneuvers here?" Gatrie asked.

"Eh…Thunder and lightning?" Ike asked.

"Yeah! I crash into them like thunder and Shinon-san rains arrows down on 'em like lightning!" Gatrie explained.

"Yeah, that sounds like a stupid plan." Naruto said.

"And what do you suggest we do, sub-human?" Shinon asked.

"Me? Oh, nothing, that plan just seems pretty straight forward." Naruto said.

"Naruto-san since you're a ninja, I would like to know if you have any special techniques." Titania asked.

"Oh, well, There's Kage Bunshin no jutsu, where I creates several exact copies of myself and I also have a jutsu called Rasengan, where I form a ball of spiraling chakra in my palm." Naruto said.

"Don't you mean your paw?" Shinon asked though Naruto simply ignored him.

"And I can also do the Kuchiyose no jutsu, where I summon an animal that I have a contract with. In my case, toads." Naruto said.

"How would toads be of any help?" Ike asked.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you met chief toad, he's even taller than the trees and he's got a huge sword." Naruto said.

"Okay, Shinon-san and Gatrie-san will go in first and soften up the enemy first, and then I and Naruto-san will head for the ship to finish off the captain." Titania said and everyone but Ike nodded.

"What should I do?" Ike asked.

"You could come with us." Naruto suggested and Titania nodded in agreement.

They then moved a little further into the town as the old man walked back to his house and Titania turned to the others.

"Are you all ready?" She asked and the other four nodded "Greil Mercenaries, move out."

Everyone got their weapons ready and Shinon raised an eyebrow at Naruto who took out a kunai.

"I've never seen nor heard of a sub-human that uses weapons before." Shinon said.

"Well, there's gotta be a first for everything." Naruto said.

Gatrie and Shinon then headed towards some off the pirates and Gatrie rammed straight into them and Shinon fired several arrows at them.

Up on the ship's deck was several prates and suddenly came a pink haired girl in red armor riding in on a horse with wings, making it able to fly.

"Hey! You! Boat monkey! You tricked me, didn't you?" The girl said.

"Tricked ye? What a vile and nasty thing that is to be sayin'. Don't ye agree, matey?" "The pirate captain, Havetti said.

"Yar, that I do! There be nothing but honest pirates aboard this ship, missy." One of the other pirates said.

"You said you knew the whereabouts of my older brother. That's why I came all the way to your ship." The girl said.

"Aye, and we do know! He was onboard for a while, and then…do ye recall where he went, matey?" Havetti said.

"Yar, that I do. He was a penniless oaf, so we tossed his worthless carcass into the rolling waves. Yar har ho." The other pirate said.

"My…my brother? That's horrid!" the girl said

"Horrid? Did ye say horrid? Yer scurvy brother was the horrid one! He lost a game o' chance, he did. If ye lose, ye must pay… and the scallywag tried to cheat me! By Shanty Pete he did!" the pirate said.

"Arr, calm yerself, me hearty!" Havetti said before continuing "After all, his darling sister's come to pay us a visit. What say ye work off yer brother's debt?"

"What say I run you through with my lance and call it a day?" The girl said.

"Yo ho har. It matters not that ye be a pegasus knight, lassie." The other pirate said.

"A wee minnow like yerself is no match for us sea dogs! Prepare yourself, ye flying wench." Havetti said.

"Pfff. I'm not afraid of you, clambake! If your axe is as dull as your wit, this will be over in no time!" The girl said before flying towards the other side of the deck.

Naruto noticed an open door and went inside to see if there were any pirates there, but there didn't seem to be though there was a man there with blue hair, a small red mark on his forehead, pointy ears, brown clothes and a white cape.

"This town seems quite unruly, wouldn't you say? Is it always this dangerous?" The man said.

"No, I don't think so, it's because of the pirates, but don't worry we were hired to take them out." Naruto said.

"Oh…so it's plagued by pirates, is it? I see. That would explain why the people here seem so anxious." The man said before looking over Naruto "You seem so very…young. And you claim you were hired to rid the town of these pesky pirates?" He then took some kind of bottle with a blue liquid in it and gave it to Naruto as he continued "Here, perhaps you should take this. It might help you if you run into trouble with the pirates. But do hurry. I came all this way here to see the world famous fish market, and I'll never be able to do that with those ruffians around. Best of luck to you."

The man then walked out and Naruto noticed something.

'_That guy didn't smell like a Beorc.'_ Naruto thought as he also left and closed the door behind him.

Titania rode up to a group of pirates and cut through them with her axe and in no time at all the pirates were lying there, dead on the ground.

Ike ran towards another pirate and tried to kill him, but the pirate parried his sword and pushed him back so that he fell down on the ground, however just as the pirate was about to kill him, an arrow hit him just between the eyes.

After killing the pirate that had almost managed to do away with Ike, Shinon fired several arrows at the pirates that were guarding the walkway up to the ship's deck.

Gatrie thrusted his lance through one of the pirates before pulling it back out and swinging it into another one hard enough to break several bones.

Naruto jumped over a pirate and as he landed behind the guy, he thrusted his kunai into the guy's back, killing him. Naruto then dodged the axe of another pirate and threw the kunai into the pirate's forehead, killing him.

When Shinon had killed the last of the pirates that were around the walkway up to the ship's deck, Titania, Naruto and Ike ran up while Shinon and Gatrie staid down to take care of any other prates that were in the town.

After getting up on the deck Naruto saw the girl that was riding on the flying horse and she was currently fighting off several pirates and she seemed to have a lot of problems doing it.

Naruto ran towards the pirates that had the girl surrounded and he easily killed all of them.

"I didn't expect to see a Laguz here." The girl said, surprising Naruto that she referred to Laguz as Laguz and not sub-humans "I'm Marcia by the way, Marcia of the pegasus knights in service of the Apostle of Begnion, and who might you be?"

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, shinobi of Konohagakure no sato, though I'm currently with the Greil Mercenaries." Naruto introduced himself before continuing "You should get out of here, I'll hold 'em off."

"Thanks, I'm in your debt." Marcia said, having realized that there was no way she could've taken on all of those pesky pirates so she had to flee for now.

'_That mark on his headband, where have I seen it before?'_ Marcia asked herself before she remembered, not long before she left to search for her brother, she saw Prime Minister Sephiran-sama with a man that had that same mark on his headband, she looked back to get one last glance at the blond Laguz '_Maybe they know each other_.'

Titania rode up some stairs and swung her axe at one of the pirates, killing him.

Ike ran up the stairs after Titania and sliced his sword through a pirate before running up some more stairs to where Havetti was standing.

"Give back what you've stolen from the good folk here and set sail." Ike said when he had gotten up the stairs.

"Yahar har harrrr. Now I know yer tetched in the head, lassie. We show 'em our axes 'an say "arrrr," and the gold and grub come rainin' down. We'll not be givin' this up." Havetti said.

"I see…looks like we'll have to rely on force of arms, then." Ike said before charging at the pirate.

Havetti blocked Ike's sword and pushed him towards the edge of the deck trying to force Ike over board, but then Naruto suddenly came up behind Havetti, killed the other two pirates that were up there and thrusted his wind chakra enhanced kunai through Havetti's back and through his heart.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked as Havetti fell down on the deck.

"Yeah, thanks." Ike replied.

"Ya know, you shouldn't go overboard like that, it's not a very good idea. Take it from someone with experience." Naruto said as he still remembered his first C turned A-ranked mission where he tried to take on Zabuza, the demon of the hidden mist.

After the pirates had finally been defeated, Titania, Ike, Naruto, Shinon and Gatrie walked to the gates of the town and there they saw the people of the town waiting for them.

"We've driven of all the pirates. Your people will suffer no more indignities at their hands." Titania said.

"Oh, that is joyful news. Here is your pay as promised." The old man from earlier said.

"Thank you very much. And if you find yourself in need again, do not hesitate to send word." Titania said.

"Of course, of course. All of you put on a most marvelous show, such combat skill. To be honest, I was expecting Commander Greil to be here today. When I saw just you, nothing more than, no offence, a band of children, even though one of you is a Laguz…well, I will admit to being a tad nervous." The old man said and Naruto was surprised that the guy didn't refer to him as a sub-human.

"I apologize for troubling you. Unfortunately Commander Greil had other pressing matters to attend to." Titania said.

"Oh, no. don't apologize. There's no need. After all, you got rid of those brigands, and you did it impeccably well." The old man said.

"It's a fine compliment you pay, sir, but it was our pleasure." Titania said.

"As a matter of fact, you're more than good enough to be in the royal army if you so desired. Especially your Commander Greil. He's far and away better than most any general I've seen hereabouts." The old man said and he paused a little before continuing "Er…what I mean to say is…don't you think running off pirates is a bit…beneath you?"

"That's not…" Titania started, but the old man cut her off.

"Don't get me wrong, now. You certainly helped all of us simple folk out. Even so, it seems to me the proper place for you and your Commander Greil is in the service of the Crimean throne. Well, that's what this old man thinks." The old man said.

"We and Commander Greil are quite satisfied with the work we do now." Titania said.

"You've nary a selfish bone among you. Well then, rest assured we'll speak again if any problems arise. Thank you again." The old man said before walking off and Ike noticed that Titania seemed to be thinking about something.

"Titania-taichou? Is something amiss?" He asked and Titania was knocked out of her train of thoughts.

"No, of course not. Our mission is complete, and that's all that matters. You did well today, every one of you." Titania said.

"Pah. Jobs like this barely makes a dent in my incurable boredom. It's like that old buzzard said, there's better work out there. Something with a challenge." Shinon said.

"Shinon-san." Titania said.

"I'm joking. J-O-K-ing."

"Come, Titania-taichou. Be honest. Don't you find the work we do to be a bit…disheartening? Unglamorous?" Gatrie said.

"What? You too, Gatrie-san? What's gotten into you?" Titania asked.

"Please. Look, we're not a band of money hungry recruits. We're professionals, and we're very good at what we do. Shinon-san and I have discussed this at length. All of this mundane mercenary work is unworthy of us. We're wasting our talents." "Gatrie said.

"I see. You're telling me that you think Commander Greil is mismanaging us. Do I have that right?" Titania said.

"Whoa, hold it right there. That's not what I'm saying at all." Gatrie said.

While this little conversation was going on Naruto walked over to the old man to ask him something.

"Hey, jiji. Why'd you refer to me as a Laguz and not a sub-human?" He asked.

"Oh, when you get to my age, you stop worrying about such silly things as the hatred between our two species." The old man started before continuing after a small pause "Besides, you're not like most of the other Laguz. I could see that at first glance."

"Naruto-san, we're gonna leave you behind if you don't hurry." Titania yelled.

"Coming taichou." Naruto yelled back as he started running back to the others and he waved goodbye to the old man "Bye jiji."

"What a nice young lad." The old man said to himself before getting back to whatever he was doing before.

Naruto caught up with the others at the gate and they headed back towards Greil's retreat.

"Hey Shinon-san, Gatrie-san, if you two want a challenge, you could always come to Konoha and become shinobi." Naruto said, having heard enough of their earlier conversation with Titania.

Suddenly Shinon imagined himself, dressed in the exact same clothes as Naruto, jumping from tree to tree as he was chasing an enemy ninja and he threw a kunai at his opponent and hit him in the neck.

Gatrie on the other hand imagined himself in Naruto's outfit, being surrounded by beautiful half-naked women.

But Naruto smiled as he imagined them in their normal attire, being chased by a pissed of Tsunade through the streets of Konoha, Shinon for insulting her and Gatrie from hitting on her.

Chapter preview

Naruto "Good Mist-chan, you've got the Henge no jutsu down. Now it's your turn Rolf." (Rolf turns into a fat version of Shinon)

Sakura "I'm finally out of the desert."

Soren "A few days ago Dain launched an attack on the Crimean capital of Melior."

Sakura "Excuse me sir, but could you tell me where I am."

Ha'ar "You're in Talrega, south in Daein."

Greil "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Roadside battle."

Character status

Naruto: Class: genin.

Level: 8

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Ike: class: ranger.

Level: 6

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron sword.

Race: Beorc.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 3

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Boyd: Class: fighter.

Level: 4

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe.

Race: Beorc.

Oscar: Class: lance knight.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Rhys: Class: priest.

Level: 4

Techniques: Heal.

Weapons: heal staff.

Race: Beorc.

Shinon: Class: sniper.

Level: 3

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel bow.

Race: Beorc.

Gatrie: Class: Knight.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel lance.

Race: Beorc.

**A/N: And that's it, next chapter we'll see what's happened to Sakura and the war will finally begin. Also it seems that Naruto'll teach Mist and Rolf how to use chakra as well as some basic jutsus. Now until next time.**


	4. Roadside battle

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Mercenary arc  
**

"Fire emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire emblem.'_ Normal thought

**"Fire emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

**'_Fire emblem.' _Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

Chapter 3: Roadside battle

Inside a library in the Crimean capital of Melior was a young man with long shoulder-length black hair, wearing black robes and on his forehead was a red mark, the mark of one who's got both Beorc and Laguz blood in his veins.

He was currently looking through an old book about magic spells, trying to find a way to develop a new form of magic.

There are a lot of different elements, but so far there's only five which people have been able to manipulate via the use of magic and those five elements are Wind, Fire, Thunder, Light and Darkness or Shadow as some people call it.

Suddenly a loud roar can be heard and the boy ran outside with the book that he was currently reading under his arm.

"What's going on?" He asked himself in a calm tone when he had gotten outside.

The whole city was surrounded on all sides by soldiers clad in black armor, Daein soldiers and in the sky was many of Daein's wyvern riders riding on black wyverns.

Greil's retreat, three days later

Naruto had kept his promise to teach Mist and Rolf how to use chakra and it seemed that Mist-chan was almost as good at it as Sakura-chan while Rolf on the other hand could need some more training with chakra control.

Naruto had decided to teach them the academic three which were the Henge no jutsu, Kawarimi no jutsu and Bunshin no jutsu.

"Now do as I do and change into who you want to." Naruto said before making the hand sign "Henge no jutsu."

In a puff of smoke was an exact copy of Commander Greil and Naruto then started walking back and forth in front of Mist and Rolf, doing an impersonation of Greil.

Inside, Greil and Titania were sitting discussing missions until they suddenly heard Greil's voice outside as well as the giggling of Mist and Rolf and they looked out the window to see…Greil?

Suddenly Greil was engulfed in smoke and when smoke cleared it revealed a laughing Naruto.

"Alright Mist-chan, now you try." Naruto said when he had calmed down and Mist formed the signs.

"Henge no jutsu." Mist was then replaced by an exact copy of Boyd.

"Let me show you what a professional like me can do." She said with Boyd's voice and said fighter looked towards the three kids just as Mist turned back into herself.

"Good Mist-chan, you've got the Henge no jutsu down. Now it's your turn Rolf." Naruto said and Rolf formed the signs.

"Henge no jutsu." He said and in a puff of smoke he was replaced by…a fat version of Shinon, and said sniper looked down on himself to check if he was really that fat.

"Not bad Rolf, but I think you need to go down a thousand pounds." Naruto said, barely containing his laugh.

Rolf then tried again, but this time he got the opposite result and became so skinny that it was possible to see his bones.

"I guess you haven't eaten much recently have you?" Naruto said.

After a dozen more tries however, Rolf finally got it and turned into an exact copy of Shinon.

"Wow, Rolf-kun. You did it." Mist congratulated and the real Shinon walked over.

"Do I really look like that?" Shinon asked.

"Yes, you do." Rolf replied with Shinon's voice.

Suddenly the boy from the start of the chapter ran into the courtyard and he stopped and stared at the two Shinons as though they'd grown a second head.

"What's wrong Soren/Soren-san?" Both Shinons said at the same time after they had noticed the boy.

"T-two Shinons, the world's coming to an end!" Soren said before fainting from the shock. **(A/N: You've got no idea how much I laughed when I first came up with this idea.)**

Daein, desert

Sakura had been walking through the desert for several days after she left the company of the three Laguz and she didn't have any water left either, at this rate…she'd die.

She then spotted what appeared to be an end to the dessert and let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm finally out of the desert." She said, but then she collapsed on the sandy ground too exhausted to even move…and as she closed her eyes, waiting to die she heard the sounds of wings flapping and a large beast landed next to her.

Crimea, Greil's retreat

Soren stirred in his bed as his eyes opened and he sat up and looked around. The door opened and in came Greil.

"Ah, it's good to see that you're awake Soren, you gave us quite a scare." Greil said as he sat down on a chair "But I must say that I'm surprised, I thought that you'd stay with that team of mercenaries in Melior for at least another week!"

"A few days ago Daein launched an attack on Crimea's capital of Melior." Soren said, shocking Greil.

Outside was Naruto currently teaching the two pre-teens the Kawarimi and this one Rolf got the hang on a little faster than the Henge.

"Good, now there's only one more jutsu that you'll need to learn before we can start with some harder chakra control exercises." Naruto said.

"That'll have to wait, we've been called to a meeting." Titania said as she walked out of the fort.

"Probably just about some mission or something, I'll teach you two Bunshin no jutsu when the meeting's over." Naruto said to Mist and Rolf before he followed Titania into the fort.

Inside the meeting room was everyone already sitting when Titania and Naruto came in.

The briefing room was a big room with a table in the middle and everyone was sitting around it and at end of the table was Commander Greil standing and to his left was the boy from earlier.

As Naruto sat down at the table in between Ike and Boyd, the boy raised an eyebrow and he raised another eyebrow when he saw Naruto's tail.

"You probably remember that Soren's been training with another mercenary group. Well, he's back now." Greil said before pausing "And he has some unbelievable news."

"What news is that?" Ike asked the question that was on almost everyone's mind.

"It's Crimea and Daein. They've gone to war." Soren said.

"War? Oh great, just my luck." Naruto said, silently cursing his luck in missions.

"That's why I've called everyone here. Soren has some more information. Go ahead, Soren." Greil said.

"All right." Soren said before taking out a map of Crimea and putting it on the table. "Take a look at this map."

"Ah, it's a map of Crimea. Quite detailed, from the looks of it." Greil said.

"Yes. This is Melior, Crimea's capital." Soren said as he pointed at Melior "Our base of operation is…right about here." He pointed at the place on the map where Greil's retreat was located.

"Everything started three days ago." Soren started explaining "I needed to do some research, so I went to the archives of Melior's royal library. Without warning, the scream of a terrible beast, a wyvern, perhaps rent the air. And the building was rocked by a tremor. I rushed outside and saw wave after wave of knights, chivalry and wyvern riders, each clad in glistening ebon armor, black as night."

"The Daein army?" Greil asked.

"Correct." Was Soren's reply.

"Was there provocation?" Greil asked.

"As you know, relations between Crimea and Daein have never been…friendly. However, the past centuries have seen only minor skirmishes, nothing that has ever approached the scale of this attack. It was brutal and without warning. Daein laid the capital to waste. I've never seen destruction on this scale before." Soren said.

"A swift attack, devastating and brutal…a daring gambit, indeed." Titania said.

"But if it succeeds, a very well-chosen one at that." Greil added before continuing "Yes, the king of Daein would not hesitate to employ such treacherous tactics. What happened next?"

"King Crimea's brother deployed the Crimean army to meet the attack. The king ordered his people to flee the city before the battle reached them. Fearing the worst, I also fled and made my way here." Soren said.

"So we don't know how the tides of battle flow now, do we?" Greil said before continuing "That's all right. Word of the war cannot have traveled far yet. We may well be the first ones who know of it out here. You did well to bring us this information, Soren. I know some risk was involved."

"It was nothing." Soren said.

"Daein has invaded Crimea…we may be mercenaries, but this still affects us." Titania said.

"What are we going to do?" Ike asked.

"That's the question of the day. How do you see it, Titania?" Greil said.

"Crimea is the closest thing our country has to a homeland. The Crimean royal family and noble houses have been generous, providing us with many lucrative jobs. From a moral standpoint as well as a business one, it's in our best interest to help Crimea." Titania said.

"And you, Soren?" Greil asked.

"I agree on one point: we are mercenaries. We are not Crimea's private militia. No coin has crossed our palms, so I think we should stay out of it." Soren said, giving him a place in Naruto's "people I don't like list".

"So you would have us sit and watch as Crimea is overrun?" Greil asked.

"I would. Daein's troops are superior in both numbers and morale. The chances for a Crimean victory are slim indeed." Soren said, giving Naruto another reason to add him to the list.

"But Crimea is ruled by king Ramon-sama, who is known throughout the land for his wisdom. And his brother, duke Renning-sama, is said to possess peerless valor and courage. Daein may not find victory so easily." Titania said.

"Valor and courage are for children's tales. In terms of military prowess, Daein's king Ashnard is every bit Renning-sama's equal. Victory will hinge on troop numbers and supplies, and Daein is superior in both. I think the outcome is quite obvious." Soren said and now Naruto had just about enough of him and he rose to his feet and slammed his hands down on the table.

"Alright, I've had just about enough of listening to you, going on and on about how Crimea will lose. But we could easily turn the odds in Crimea's favor." Naruto said.

"I doubt that one filthy sub-human will make much difference." Soren said.

"Soren, Naruto's no ordinary Laguz." Greil stated.

"What? You mean with the fact that he can't transform?" Shinon asked, mocking Naruto.

"Naruto's a ninja from a village on the other side of the desert of death." Titania said.

"I still don't see what difference he can make, there's only one of him after all." Soren said.

"That's because you haven't seen him in action yet, he's even got some crazy technique that he can use to replicate himself." Boyd said.

"And besides, normal soldiers are no match for a full-fledged shinobi like me." Naruto said before continuing "And besides my teammates are out there somewhere in Tellius and once we find them, there'll be four ninja on the side of Crimea. And besides what would you say if you were one of the soldiers in the Crimean army and the only people in the area that could bring Crimea on the winning side were to look the other way!" Naruto said and Soren opened his mouth to argue more, but then decided against it. Something, he didn't know what, but something that Naruto said had gotten through to him.

"Fine, do as you please." Soren said to everyone's shock.

"Before we do anything however, we must ascertain the current situation. We'll send a scouting party to get a closer look at Melior." Greil said.

"Ike, I want you in charge of this, and Naruto will be your second-in-command. Assemble your men and get going." Greil continued.

"What? Me?" Ike asked, surprised that he was chosen to lead the mission.

"Titania will accompany you as an advisor." Greil said.

"Commander, you must be joking! He's just a boy, and he's barely had any taste of battle. What do you expect a whelp like him to accomplish?" Shinon argued before pointing at Naruto and saying "Why not rather have the Laguz in charge of the mission, he's got a lot more battle experience."

Shinon's words came as a surprise to everyone, he rather wanted a Laguz to lead a mission instead of a human? And further-more, he referred to Naruto as a Laguz and not a sub-human.

Shinon for his part had grown quite fond of the young weapon-using Laguz, though he'd of course never admit that to anyone. It's almost like Naruto had some kind of spell over him that'd make everyone like him.

"Ah, Shinon. Since you're so concerned, you can go as well." Greil said.

"Wait, that's not what I…blast." Shinon said, not having wanted to come on the mission.

"Who else…Gatrie, Rhys, and Soren. That should do." Greil said.

"Tou-san, wait…why do you want me…" Ike said, but Greil cut him off.

"That was an order. Get moving. There's no time to waste." Greil said.

"Yes, sir." Ike said.

"Titania, I'm going out for a bit. I want you to give Ike some direction." Greil said.

"Understood." Titania said.

"…Yes, sir." Ike said before he and the others walked out of the room.

Daein, Talrega

Sakura woke up in a bed inside of a house, she wondered where she was, since it obviously wasn't the afterlife.

The door to the room opened up and a man with brown hair, an eye patch over his right eye, and dressed in ebony-black armor came in holding a tray with food and water on it and he put it down on a table next to the bed.

"I'm glad that you're awake. You were lucky that I found you when I did. Here have something to eat." The man said as Sakura drank the water and started eating.

"Excuse me sir, but could you tell me where I am?" Sakura asked as she continued eating.

"You're in Talrega, south in Daein." The man said "Yawn, where are my manners, the name's Ha'ar, a wyvern rider in the Daein army under the command of General Shiharam-san."

"I'm Haruno Sakura, a shinobi of Konohagakure no sato, the village hidden in the leaves, under the command of the copy ninja Hatake Kakashi-sensei." Sakura said.

"Say, what where you doing out in the desert anyway?" Ha'ar asked.

"Me and my team had a mission to escort a man through the desert and we got separated and I don't know where any of the others are." Sakura said.

"Yawn, doesn't sound to good. Tell you what, I'll help you look for them. What do they look like?" Ha'ar said.

And Sakura, deciding to save the best for last decided to start by describing Naruto.

"Well, one of them looks like a fool, he's got blond hair, orange clothes and a yellow tail…" Before she could continue with the description, Ha'ar cut her off.

"A tail you say? Yawn, sounds like a beast Laguz. I wouldn't know where he is, but I do know where the best place to start looking for him is." Ha'ar said.

"Really? Where?" Sakura asked.

"Gallia, home of the beasts." Was Ha'ar's reply.

"is it far from here?" Sakura asked.

"It's on the other side of the continent. So yes, It's quite far." Ha'ar said and when he saw the slightly depressed look on Sakura's face, he continued "But don't worry, I'm heading over in that direction anyway, so I can take you there. Yawn."

"You can? That'd be great." Sakura said.

Ha'ar and Sakura walked out of the house and towards what looked like a stable, but instead of horses there were winged reptilians that could easily have been mistaken for dragons and Ha'ar went over to one of them with Sakura slowly following him.

"Gotten yourself a girlfriend Ha'ar-san?" A girl with red hair in a long ponytail and red armor mocked.

"Yawn, no, Jill-san. I'm only helping her finding some friends and she's going to start looking in Gallia since one of them's a beast Laguz." Ha'ar explained as he brought his black wyvern out of the stables and Jill followed with a green wyvern behind her.

"She's friends with some filthy sub-humans? Then why help her?" Jill asked.

"Because I figured I might as well help her since I'm going in the same direction anyway. And I couldn't just let her go alone." Ha'ar said as he helped Sakura up on the wyvern before going up himself.

"You do know that the part of Crimea that we're headed to is a great distance away from Gallia, don't you?" Jill said as she got up on her own wyvern.

"Then, we'll be taking a little detour. I'm sure that king Ashnard-sama wouldn't mind." Ha'ar said as his wyvern took to the skies quickly followed by Jill and four other wyvern riders.

Crimea, road to Melior

Ike took a glance at the sword that his father had had Mist give him and he smiled, knowing that it was a gift to him from his father.

Naruto was a little ways away from the others, trying to use his extremely sensitive ears to hear if the battle at Melior was still going on and if it was, who won?

Unfortunately what he heard was the sound of Daein soldiers cheering, how he knew that it was Daein soldiers? If the calling of "king Ashnard-sama" wasn't an good enough indication, he didn't know what was.

The place that they were currently at was littered with dead bodies, Crimean and Daein alike, so Naruto tried to search for any survivors in the area, maybe they'd know if any members of the Crimean royal family were still alive.

Rhys looked over at Ike and saw that the ranger was staring out into space and he walked over to him.

"Are you feeling alright, Ike-san? You haven't said a word in quite some time." He said.

"I don't understand what tou-san's doing. Why put a new recruit like me in charge of something so important?" Ike said.

"You're going to succeed our commander one day. Don't you think he wants you to know how to lead?" Rhys said.

"Me? I don't…I don't know if I'm capable. And even if I am, that day's a long way off, right? I mean, I'm inexperienced. Weak. I'm nothing compared to tou-san." Ike said.

"I'm not so sure about that. When I look at you, I see a young man full of promise. Commander Greil is a great man, but…I think you'll be every bit his equal. In time, you might even surpass him." Rhys said.

"Don't be ridiculous." Ike said.

"It's just my opinion. You need not pay it any mind. Yet, if you face your weakness, why not take this chance to go out and better yourself? That would be more in keeping with your personality, no?" Rhys said.

"I suppose you're right." Ike said before the others came over to him and Rhys.

"How did things look over there, Soren-san?" Ike asked.

"Same as here. There are corpses strewn everywhere. There are quite a lot of them, especially when you consider how far we are from the capital." Soren said.

"Are they Crimean?" Titania asked.

"…Judging by the armor, the vast majority of the dead are Daein soldiers." Rhys said.

"So Crimea has the upper hand?" Ike asked.

"No, Melior's already fallen. I could hear the Daein soldiers cheering from all the way out here." Naruto said.

"Wait, you could hear them from here?" Shinon asked and Naruto nodded.

"Yes, I have very sensitive ears." The Laguz said.

"I think Naruto-san's right. The Crimean soldiers were members of the Imperial Guard. That means king Ramon-sama, or another member of the royal family was on the move when Daein soldiers fell on them." Soren said.

"Could it have been Renning-sama?" Titania asked.

"If he's the general of the Crimean army, I doubt that he would leave. Especially if he's anything like the Hokage of my village." Naruto said.

"You're right, Renning-sama wouldn't leave his troops without a good reason. It might be another member of the court." Soren said and suddenly, Naruto could smell something that smelled like…Beorc? And a large number of them too and they also had armor and weapons.

"Guys, we've got a problem. There's a large number of Beorc troops headed this way, I think they're Daein soldiers." Naruto said.

Just then came several Daein troops towards them and the captain of the troops, Maijin walked forward towards the mercenaries.

Maijin had green hair, a green cape and like any other Daein soldier, he had black armor.

"You there. Who are you? What are you doing here?" Maijin asked.

"We're no one you need…" Titania started, but Maijin cut her off.

"You're armed. Heed me. Drop your weapons and surrender. Act quickly, or else!" Maijin demanded.

"Listen to me, baka. You're making a mistake. We're not…" Shinon started, but he was also cut off by the Daein captain.

"Ah, not going to cooperate, eh? Ready your weapons, men. Move in and kill them all!" Maijin said.

"Tsk, headstrong bakas." Titania said.

"Getting caught up in some skirmish is not part of the plan…" Soren said.

"But they're obviously not going to listen to us. Greil Mercenaries. get ready to fight!" Ike said as the Daein soldiers got into position.

"Alright, Ike. Let's see how you handle the role of captain. Well? What are your orders, boy? We'll do what you say, so long as you hurry up and spit it out." Shinon said.

"I know, I know. I'm thinking. Give me a moment, will you, Shinon-san?" Ike said.

"Bah, useless. We'd be better led with Mist than this soft, untested whelp." Shinon said.

"Hey, might I come with a suggestion?" Naruto said and Ike replied with a "huh?" before Naruto continued "Well, I am the second-in-command, so I thought I might help you out with the battle plan, is all!"

"What did you have in mind?" Ike asked.

"Well, we're in the middle of the road, and there's not much cover. Soren-teme…" A frown that was unnoticeable to anyone but Naruto formed on Soren's face as the genin continued "…and Rhys-san are vulnerable, so we have to protect them from enemy attacks. I suggest having them stay behind Gatrie-san, due to his armor and at the same time, Soren-teme can attack from the distance." Naruto said.

"That's a good strategy, considering that you're a Laguz." Soren said and Naruto frowned, noticing the insult hidden in the sentence.

"Yeah, well. I think I've been around Shikamaru too much." Naruto said.

"Who?" Gatrie asked.

"Ah, just the smartest guy I know." Naruto said.

"Well, I think we should go with that plan." Ike said and they got into position.

Naruto ran towards the two Daein soldiers that were closest to him and before they knew it, he had gotten out a kunai in each hand and slammed each kunai into their stomachs.

One of the Daein soldiers ran towards Gatrie, but the knight blocked the soldier's lance with his own and behind him, Soren opened the green book that he had with him and started reading something that was of an ancient language.

Suddenly was Soren surrounded by a gust of wind and the wind blew at the Daein soldier and killed him.

Shinon readied his bow and fired five simultaneous arrows at one of the Daein soldiers.

Titania rode towards three enemy soldiers and in three quick strikes with her axe, they were dead.

Ike ran towards an enemy soldier and suddenly he stopped, held his sword in front of himself and charged forward quicker than the soldier could see.

"Critical hit." Ike called out as he sent the guy's head rolling.

Naruto saw an opening towards the enemy captain and decided to take it, but then an enemy soldier stepped in the way and Naruto blocked the guy's sword with the same two kunai that he had used to kill the two Daein soldiers before.

"Ike-san, there's an opening to the enemy captain. Take it!" Naruto called out seeing as though aside from himself, Ike-san was the only one close enough to reach him.

The ranger ran towards Maijin, dodging a few arrows on the way and then when he got close enough, he swung his sword at the guy, but the sword was blocked by a javelin.

"Bah, you're nothing more than a bunch of ragtag sellswords. Who are you to oppose Daein? You are so terribly ignorant of your position in this world" Maijin said.

"You refused to listen to us, and then you attacked without provocation! Is that the way of the Daein army?" Ike said.

"You're a cheeky little monkey, aren't you? Once you're dead, you'll regret sassing me!" Maijin said before using his superior strength to knock Ike away.

Ike charged at the guy and swung his sword again only for it to be blocked and to Maijin's surprise, Ike suddenly burst into a puff of smoke and in his place was Naruto with his two kunai against Maijin's javelin.

"What the…" Maijin said surprised as Naruto gave him his foxy smile.

"Kawarimi no jutsu. With it I can swap places with anything or anyone in the area." Naruto explained and Maijin looked towards were he had noticed, Naruto being before and there was a confused Ike standing over a dead soldier.

Naruto then sent wind chakra through his kunais and within a mere second was Maijin's javelin broken in two and said knight jumped back to avoid being hit by the two sharp knives, though his armor still got scratched.

"Weird, you're a sub-human, yet you use weapons." Maijin said.

"Well, I guess I just don't know how to transform yet, so I have no choice but to use weapons." Naruto said before forming his favorite hand sign.

"Kage Bunshin no jutsu." Naruto called out and a perfect copy of him appeared and helped him form a Rasengan in his right hand. He knew that he didn't have to go so far, but he didn't like it when people called him sub-human and besides he wanted to give Daein a message to not mess with him.

"RASENGAN!" He yelled as he ran towards Maijin, who was wearing too heavy armor to get away in time and he knew it.

The Rasengan slammed into Maijin and said knight was sent spiraling into a cliff.

"Gwaa haa…wretched curs…you will regret your decision to oppose Daein…" Were Maijin's final words before he died.

Seeing their captain being taken down by the young teen, the other soldiers fled and the mercenaries had scored another victory, and this time against supposed proffesionals.

"Did we suffer any casualties?" Ike asked.

"Nope, we're all in top shape." Naruto said while holding his hands behind his head and giving his foxy grin.

"Speak…for…yourself." Gatrie said in between pants before he fell to his knees, apparently fighting the Daein soldiers with such heavy armor on could be extremely tiring.

Naruto's nose suddenly picked up an unfamiliar scent.

"Hey, I smell something." He said before pointing towards a nearby thicket "It's coming from the far side of that thicket, I don't know why I didn't pick up on this scent earlier."

"A wounded soldier, perhaps? Let's go have a look. Careful, now." Ike said as Rhys walked past the thicket to see…a collapsed woman?

She had long green hair in a ponytail and an orange dress.

"Oh, no…" Rhys said.

"Did you find anything Rhys-san?" Ike asked as he and the others walked over to him.

"…it's a woman…" Rhys replied.

"Leave her. We shouldn't get involved in matters that don't concern us." Soren said as Rhys checked if she was still alive.

"Thank goodness…it looks like she's merely fainted." Rhys said.

"Right. We'd better take her with us for now and make sure she's all right." Ike said as he bent down to pick the woman up "Give me a hand, will you, Rhys?"

"Of course." Rhys said as he helped Ike, picking the woman up and they started walking back towards Greil's retreat.

"…I don't like this…" Soren said as he watched the two carrying the woman walking away.

"And I don't like you, but there's nothing we can do about that either, now is it?" Naruto said as he walked past the mage.

Chapter preview

Elincia "My name is Elincia Ridell Crimea. I am the daughter of king Ramon of Crimea."

Rolf "We've got trouble. Outside. There are soldiers. A lot of them!"

Naruto "If we take out they're commander, the rest should flee, just like last time."

Dakova "Don't push your luck, mercenary dog!"

Ike "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Flight."

Character status

Naruto: Class: genin.

Level: 10

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Ike: class: ranger.

Level: 8

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Boyd: Class: fighter.

Level: 4

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe.

Race: Beorc.

Oscar: Class: lance knight.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Rhys: Class: priest.

Level: 4

Techniques: Heal.

Weapons: heal staff.

Race: Beorc.

Shinon: Class: sniper.

Level: 4

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel bow.

Race: Beorc.

Gatrie: Class: Knight.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel lance.

Race: Beorc.

Soren: class: Mage.

Level: 2

Techniques: Wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome.

Race: Branded.

**A/N: That was it for that chapter. It seems that Sakura has met Ha'ar and Jill, now will she part ways with them at the border to Gallia or will she join the Daein army? Probably the former. Also I've decided to bring some more Naruto characters into this story, but they won't be from Konoha and also one of them is an OC that I will have in several of my stories and he's also related to one of the Akatsuki members though I won't tell you which, nor will I tell you what village they're from, you'll just have to try and figure that out for yourself for now.**


	5. Flight

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Mercenary arc  
**

**A/N: last chapter, I said that there would be some more Naruto characters coming in later, but unfortunately, you'll have to wait a while seeing as though they won't make an appearance till the Daein arc. Just to let you know.**

"Fire emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire emblem.' _Normal thought

"**Fire emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire emblem.' **_**Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Disclaimer: **Naruto is owned by Masashi-san and Fire Emblem is owned by Nintendo. If I had owned them however, this story would be both a manga and a game.

Chapter 4: Flight

After Ike and the others had returned to Greil's retreat, the woman was brought to a room and Rhys and Mist watched over her to make sure that she was okay while Naruto taught Rolf Bunshin no jutsu, Shinon was getting some shooting practice done, Gatrie, on Naruto's request was running around the fort to build up his stamina. At first he had protested, but then Naruto told him that women like strong men.

Oscar and Titania was patrolling the immediate area in case Daein troops would arrive, Boyd was training to sharpening his axe skills, Soren was reading and Ike and Greil talked about the mission. Until Mist came running out of the fort and over to them that is.

"Tou-san. Onii-san. It's that lady Ike-onii-san rescued…she's awake!" Mist said.

"Really?" Ike asked.

"Come on. Let's greet our guest." Greil said and he and Ike walked up to the room where the woman had been brought.

"So, how are you feeling?" Greil asked when they had entered the room.

"Oh, I…I'm fine…and you are?" The woman said.

"The name's Greil. I'm the commander of this mercenary company." Greil introduced himself.

"My lord Greil-san…you are the one who came to my aid, are you not? I don't know how to thank you…" The woman said.

"Hold on. The one who found you and brought you here is my son, Ike. If you want to thank someone, thank him." Greil said, gesturing to Ike.

"No, please, that's not…" Ike started, but he was interrupted by the woman.

"Lord…Ike-san, was it? You have my gratitude." The woman said.

"Pardon my bluntness, but I have some questions for you. Tell me, who are you? What were you doing in that place?" Greil asked and when he didn't get a reply he continued "The place where Ike found you was evidently the site of a fierce battle between Crimea and Daein forces. Do you have some relation to the Crimean royal family?"

"I make no promises, but we may be able to help you. Will you share your story with us?" Ike tried to reassure her.

"You took me in and cared for me. I will… place my trust in you." The woman said before she introduced herself "My name is Elincia Ridell Crimea. I am the daughter of king Ramon of Crimea."

"What?" Ike said.

"You say you are the princess of Crimea?" Greil asked.

"Yes." Elincia answered.

"That's an odd claim to make. I've never heard of king Crimea ever having any children." Greil said.

"That is…to be expected. My heritage, my very existence, has never been made public." Elincia said.

"Why's that?" Ike asked.

"To avoid national turmoil. You see, I was born after my uncle Renning-sama, was named as successor to the throne. So…" Elincia explained.

"They kept you a secret to avert a possible blood feud. Yes, I'm willing to accept that for the time being. Very well, let's suppose that you truly are princess Crimea. You must know what's become of the king and your uncle. I would like to hear that news." Greil said.

"…My father and my mother are dead…they fell at the hand of Ashnard, king of Daein…my lord uncle and the royal knights are still battling the Daein army, I believe." Elincia said.

"I see." Greil said, knowing how the young princess was feeling, having lost both of his parents when he was younger.

"…I…fled the castle…to follow my lord uncle's orders and seek refuge in the kingdom of Gallia…" Elincia said.

"In Gallia?" Greil asked confused, after all Gallia was the second hardest country to enter on Tellius next to Goldoa.

"…Yes, we believed that king Caineghis-sama would grant me sanctuary. So that's where I was going…" Elincia started before continuing "But we were discovered by Daein troops, and I lost my escort of knights…My life, the life I have now was purchased…with the blood of those brave knights…"

"Does king Daein know of your existence?" Ike wondered.

"Yes, I was told the royals of each nation were informed of my identity in the event of dire circumstances…" Elincia said.

"If that's the case, they must be searching frantically for you." Greil said.

"Greil-san, Ike-san, you said you were mercenaries, did you not?" Elincia said, but before she could get an answer she continued "Please…would you help me to gain Gallia? I beg of you. I have…no one…no one else to turn to."

Later in the day were Ike, Naruto and Titania, who had returned from her patrol sitting at a table in the mess hall.

"Princess Crimea? Truly?" Titania asked after Ike had told them what happened.

"Tou-san spoke to her as if he believed she were telling the truth." Ike said.

"Wow, that'd be like the second princess I've met!" Naruto said to Ike and Titania's shock.

"You've met a princess before?" Ike asked and Naruto nodded.

"That's right, though now she's actually the queen of her homeland, the land of snow." Naruto said before thinking a little "But now that I think about it, I've actually met four princesses before. Tsunade-ba-chan, who's the heiress of the Senju clan, though that clan doesn't really exist any longer since there's only one member of it. Hinata, heiress of the Hyuga clan and Ino, heiress of the Yamanaka clan."

"What is it, Titania?" Ike asked as he had noticed that she seemed to be staring out into space.

"Mm, it's nothing. I was just remembering something from the past." Titania said.

"From the past? Back when you were still a Crimean royal knight?" Ike asked, but before anything else could be said Oscar came in.

"There's Daein soldiers in the area, I believe they might have followed me here." He said just before Rolf came running in.

"We've got trouble. Outside. There are soldiers. A lot of them!" Rolf said.

'_They're here already?'_ Oscar thought, having believed that he was quite a ways ahead of them.

Everyone got to the briefing room to see what they should do.

"Is everyone here?" Greil asked.

"Yes." Titania said.

"Commander, what are the Daein dogs saying?" Shinon asked.

"Turn over princess Crimea and leave the area immediately. Comply now, or we will attack." Greil quoted what the Daein commander had said "Pretty straightforward."

"What are we going to do?" Gatrie asked.

"That's what we're here to decide. One thing has been made clear by the arrival of our friends outside." Greil said.

"So, I would say this confirms her identity as princess Crimea, wouldn't you?" Soren said.

"Yes, but what do we do now? I'd like to hear the opinion of everyone here. Titania, I'd like to hear from you first." Greil said.

The blame for this war rests on Daein. If we ally ourselves with them, the company's reputation will surely suffer. Conversely, if we deliver princess Crimea safely, our stock will rise in the eyes of our primary employers. Our road is clear." Titania said.

"Soren, how about you?" Greil asked.

"There's nothing to think about. We must deliver the princess to Daein immediately." Soren said.

"Even if Crimea is in the right?" Greil asked.

"We are mercenaries. our actions are dictated by only self-interest. If we want to ensure our future, we need Daein in our debt. They will win this war, after all, and nothing else serves us better." Soren said.

"Shinon? Gatrie?" Greil asked, looking at the two.

"Soren's a pompous, superior whelp, but he's got the right idea. Besides, the destination's Gallia, so it's a moot question. I don't care how much we get paid; there's no way under the sun I'm going to stinking beast country." Shinon said.

"Princess Elincia…she does possess a certain regal beauty…there's a lot to be said for that, you know. However, I do prefer country girls…a bit cuter, and not quite so standoffish…oh. Forget I said that. Whatever you decide is good enough for me, Commander. Yep, uh-huh, yep…" Gatrie said.

"Oscar, Boyd, what about the two of you?" Greil asked as he looked at the two siblings.

"I agree with Titania-taichou. If we turn the princess over to the Daein army, we're essentially giving them permission to kill her." Oscar said.

"I'm in favor of helping her. That's what heroes are supposed to do." Boyd said.

"Well, Rhys? What's your opinion?" Greil asked.

"I believe…that none of this hinges on whether she's a princess or not. Refusing to aid someone in need is not something we should ever do. That's what I think." Rhys said.

"What about you, Ike?" Greil asked as he looked at his son.

"I agree with Titania-taichou. I say we help her and take her to Gallia." Ike said before Greil turned to their newest member.

"And you, Naruto?" He asked.

"I agree with Soren-teme on one point; there's nothing to think about. We ninja are taught to look underneath the underneath! We hand over the princess and then what? Then there'll be no stopping them from raining arrows down on us!" Naruto said.

"Yes, I believe you're right. It's certainly a tactic that Daein soldiers would use." Greil said before continuing "Well then, here's my decision. We escort the princess to Gallia."

Everyone ran out of the fort and into the courtyard prepared to take on the Daeins.

"I'll go and hold the rear entrance. Ike. You're in command here. Don't let the enemy take the front." Greil said.

"…Got it. Be careful, Commander." Ike said.

"Hah, I'll give it a shot." Greil said before he ran towards the rear entrance.

A Daein soldier ran towards the commander of the Daein troops, Dakova.

"Reporting in, sir. The mercenaries have taken up arms and formed up in the bailey." The soldier said.

"Oh…so they've sniffed out our plan, have they? Which means they're not an opponent that will be easily fooled. We'll need something special." Dakova said.

"Shall we continue with our planned attack?" The soldier asked.

"No…princess Crimea is somewhere within that fort. If we use flaming arrows to try to smoke them out, we might bring the princess to harm. We've been told to do our best to deliver her alive and uninjured. It would be preferable if they were to come out of their own accord. If they do, slay all but the princess!" Dakova said.

"Yes, sir." The soldier said.

"If we take out their commander, the rest should flee, just like last time." Naruto said and the others nodded in agreement.

Titania and Oscar rode towards the front entrance and easily took down two of the Daeins that where there.

Gatrie charged into one of the Daeins that were at the west entrance and rammed his spear through the guy's chest and then Shinon jumped up, over Gatrie and fired several arrows, killing three Daeins.

Naruto created ten Kage Bunshins and all of them ran past Titania and Oscar and they easily took down many of the Daein troops.

A Daein lance knight rode towards Boyd, but he rolled out of the way before he swung his axe and took down both horse and rider.

Soren read a few words from his tome and blew several Daeins away with wind magic, but one of the Daeins got over to him and swung his sword at Soren.

Ike saw this however and managed to save his friend in time, but not before Soren had been injured by the enemy.

Rhys ran over and started healing Soren's wound and as the red orb on top of Rhys' staff started glowing, Soren's wound seemed to close all by itself.

A hammer wielding Daein charged at Shinon, but the sniper dodged it and then Gatrie came up and rammed his lance through the enemy's chest.

Titania and Oscar rode down towards the enemy commander, though there was quite a few enemy soldiers in their way.

Naruto simply leapt over the Daeins and in no time at all, he was standing in front of Dakova.

"What's a sub-human doing with these low-life sellswords?" Dakova asked.

"Maybe it's because they don't care whether, I'm a Laguz or not, now I suggest that you leave immediately or else I'll be forced to kill you." Naruto said.

"I wouldn't be so confident if I were you. You aren't even in your transformed state." Dakova said.

"I might not know how to transform, but I can still fight in my normal form." Naruto said and the two charged at one another.

Crimea, skies near border to Gallia

High above the land of Crimea were six large wyverns flying underneath the moon, on four of them were ordinary Daein soldiers, on the only wyvern that wasn't black was a girl with red armor and long red hair in a ponytail. And on the wyvern that was at the front, was a man with an eye patch over his left eye and in front of him was a young girl with pink hair sitting.

"Ha'ar-san, are you sure about this?" Jill asked.

"Yes, don't worry. Somehow I know that Sakura-san will find her friends." Ha'ar said.

"I still think that it's a stupid idea, what if she's discovered by some filthy sub-human that's looking for his next meal?" Jill said.

"Ha'ar-taichou, we're approaching Gallia." One of the soldiers said.

"Alright, let's land here." Ha'ar said as they flew down and landed just outside the forest and Sakura jumped down and started walking towards the forest.

"Be careful Sakura-san, Jill-san's right. Many Laguz, especially beast type has a taste for human meat, but if you can make it through to the capital, which is somewhere in the middle of the forest, you should be fine. Rumor has it that king Caineghis has a soft spot for humans that are considerate of Laguz." Ha'ar warned and Sakura nodded before she walked into the dark forest.

Crimea, Greil's retreat

Naruto and Dakova clashed once again, the Daein commander had some skill. Any normal genin would have been dead by now in a battle against him.

But Naruto of course wouldn't give up on taking this guy down, so he decided to do a Futon jutsu that Asuma-sensei had taught him on Kakashi-sensei's request and he quickly went through the sequence of hand signs.

"I'll tell you again, leave immediately or else I'll be forced to kill you!" Naruto said as he had reached the last hand sign.

"Don't push your luck, mercenary dog!" Dakova said, not knowing what crazy move Naruto would come up with now. He had stopped believing in physics when Naruto created a bunch of copies of himself, so right now he believed that anything was possible.

"Futon: Kamikaze no jutsu." Naruto called out the name of his attack and he blew out a powerful gust of wind and sent the guy flying into the wall before slamming his kunai into Dakova's stomach.

"I…don't believe it…what went wrong…" Dakova said before he died.

"General Dakova-san! No, not…the general…not at the hands of these scum…I will not allow it." One of the soldiers said before he charged at Naruto while yelling "Aaaaah. Face me, and breathe your last, you wretched scum."

Naruto grabbed the soldier's lance and stabbed his kunai into the guy's chest.

"General Dakova-san's gone…we're being beaten…we…we don't stand a chance. Retreat. Quickly now, retreat." One of the remaining Daein soldiers said and he along with all the others ran away and back to their camp while the Greil mercenaries regrouped in the courtyard.

"We've cleared the surrounding area of Daein troops." Soren said.

"There's no question about it. We're enemies of the Daein kingdom now, aren't we?" Ike said.

"There's no time for rest. Everyone, pack your things now. We leave at once, before the enemy brings reinforcements." Greil said.

"Understood. Boyd-nii-san. Come with me." Oscar said.

"Right behind you, nii-san." Boyd said.

"Ah, we've got to hurry, too. Come on, Rolf-kun. We've got to pack as much food and supplies as we can!" Mist said.

"Uh, whatever you say. Let's go, Mist-chan!" Rolf said.

"Titania. Take Shinon, Gatrie and Naruto and make sure we have a secure road from here to the great forest. We'll make our way to Gallia through the sea of trees." Greil said.

"On my way, sir." Titania said.

"Rhys, you stay with me. I want you to help me pull essential documents from the library. Everything else we burn." Greil said.

"Y-yes, sir." Rhys said.

"Ike. You're in charge of the princess." Greil said.

"All right." Ike said before turning to Elincia as Greil and Rhys walked away towards the library "Princess Elincia. I'm going to ready a horse for you. What should we have you do…I know, go to the mess hall."

"I'm sorry?" Elincia said.

"Time will go by faster if you're helping Mist-nee-chan than it will if you're just sitting around waiting for me." Ike said.

"Oh, I understand. I can do that." Elincia said before walking into the fort and towards the mess hall.

"Sorry, this is kind of awkward. Making a princess help with packing…" Mist said a couple of minutes after Elincia-san had started helping her and Rolf-kun packing.

"Please don't worry, Mist-san. I just hope that I don't end up slowing you down by getting in your way." Elincia said.

"Don't be silly. You're so much better at this than I am. It's a big help. Are all princesses as good at this sort of thing as you are?" Mist said.

"Ha ha. I wasn't raised at court, so my life was a bit different than other princesses. I cooked, cleaned, sewed…why, I did all manner of things." Elincia said.

"Really? That's surprising. I would never have guessed that by looking at you." Mist said.

"Let's see, I also rode horses, practiced swordfighting…" Elincia continued, but then she noticed a glowing medallion that was around Mist's neck "Ah, Mist-san. What's that around your neck?"

"What? Oh, ah…" Mist said as she looked down on the medallion.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Elincia began, but Mist cut her off.

"…I guess I can show it to you, princess Elincia." Mist said before she took out the medallion which was coated in almost invisible blue flames.

"Oh…it's a lovely…that's an incredible medallion, isn't it? I wonder what that glow is." Elincia said.

"It used to belong to ka-chan. It's all I have to remember her by. Hmm…I don't know where the light comes from. It didn't use to be like that. A while back it just started glowing." Mist said.

"The world is full of mysteries, isn't it? One thing is clear, though…it certainly is beautiful." Elincia said.

"I wonder what that light means…" Mist wondered.

Crimea, Daein army camp

"What? What did you just say? I think I must be hearing things. I thought you said, "They got away"." A woman yelled at the soldier that had ordered the retreat earlier.

The woman had pale skin, long dark-green hair, ebony black armor with golden outlining, a crimson cape and a blood-red lance. This was General Petrine of the Daein army, one of the four riders of Daein, the four top generals that answer to no one but the king himself.

"It appears treating them as ordinary mercenaries was a mistake. If they're strong enough to defeat General Dakova-san, we rank and file were overmatched from the beginning." The soldier said.

"So? You tucked your worthless tail and came running back here, is that it? Have you forgotten the Daein army's motto? "Success or failure, life or death." Hey, you. Get this trash out of here." Petrine said the last part to another soldier.

"Yes, ma'am. Move it, you." The other soldier said as he dragged the first one out.

"Noooo. P-please. I don't want to die." The first soldier said he was dragged out through the door.

"Dog's breath. I'm surrounded by worthless imbeciles. Ena!" Petrine said and a girl with short pink hair in a long ponytail, blue clothes, pointy ears and a red mark on her forehead came over to Petrine.

"Tell me which way we should move to catch these mercenaries and the girl." Petrine said.

"…The Crimean capital, Melior, is already under king Ashnard-sama's control…the remnants of the Crimean army are neglible…which means the only place left for the princess to turn is south, to the kingdom of Gallia." The girl, Ena said.

"Hah, so the girl, like her dead father before her, seeks the friendship of those hairy devils, eh? What an absolutely stupefying world we live in." Petrine said.

"If she gains sanctuary in Gallia, capturing the princess will be that much more difficult. The mercenaries she has escorting her are a powerful group, not one to be taken lightly. Plus there remains the problem of the Laguz that's with her." Ena said.

"You're talking about that kid who supposedly beat Dakova?" Petrine asked.

"Yes, according to the reports, he never even transformed once and he fought far more fiercely than most of the Beorc. I believe that he doesn't know how to transform yet, but if they get to Gallia then there's no doubt in my mind that he'll learn it. And if that happens, as good as he already is in his normal form, if he were to transform he'd probably be on par with king Caineghis." Ena said.

"In that case, we should get rid of him first, so I will personally head up the pursuit of our wandering princess." Petrine said, knowing that if that kid had the potential to be as strong as Caineghis at his young age, he could one day be stronger than even Ashnard-sama.

"General-Petrine-sama, you will go…yourself?" Ena asked.

"If we know where the princess and her band are headed, there's no need for subtlety. I'll just hunt them down and kill them. Mercenaries? hah. What're they to me? remember, I am General Petrine! No matter who I face, I have never failed, nor will I ever! Ha ha ha…" Petrine said before she started laughing like a maniac.

Chapter preview

Petrine "So princess Elincia is making her way through the forest to Gallia…"

Shinon "Compared to this forest, even a kingdom of half-breeds will seem like heaven."

Greil "All right, let's split up. The diversionary team will be Gatrie, Shinon and me. The rest of you guard princess Elincia and proceed to Gallia straightaway. Got it?"

Naruto "Hey, Mist-chan. you dropped something!" (Picks up the medallion)

Ena "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: A brief diversion."

Character status

Naruto: Class: genin.

Level: 11

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kaamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Ike: class: ranger.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 8

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Boyd: Class: fighter.

Level: 6

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe.

Race: Beorc.

Oscar: Class: lance knight.

Level: 8

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Rhys: Class: priest.

Level: 6

Techniques: Heal.

Weapons: heal staff.

Race: Beorc.

Shinon: Class: sniper.

Level: 6

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel bow.

Race: Beorc.

Gatrie: Class: Knight.

Level: 12

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel lance.

Race: Beorc.

Soren: class: Mage.

Level: 4

Techniques: Wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome.

Race: Branded.

Petrine: class: paladin.

Level: 18

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Flame lance.

Race: Branded.

Dakova: class: knight.

Level: 13

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: javelin, iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

**A/N: that's another chapter done, hope you like it, and now I'll leave you to wonder what will happen in the next chapter. Oh, and before I forget, I'll try, but I don't know exactly if I'm able to finish the next chapter tomorrow and if I'm not able to do it, you'll have to wait for about two months since next week I'll be concentrating on my Naruto/Tales of Symphonia crossover, Tales of Shippuden.**


	6. A brief diversion

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Gallia arc**

**A/N: in case you guys were wondering, I've decided to put up the current poll results for the three pairing polls in this author's note.**

**Naruto: Lethe: 8, Mia: 8, Mist: 5 and Sakura: 3.**

**Seems like Naruto will get together with both Lethe and Mia for now while Mist and Sakura are being left in the dust.**

**Sasuke: Leanne: 4, Ena: 4, Micaiah: 3 and Sakura: 3.**

**Seems like Sasuke's popular among the Laguz while the Branded and the Beorc are losing for now, but everything can change.**

**Sakura: Naruto: 2, Sasuke: 1, Sothe: 1 and Rolf: 0.**

**Naruto's in the lead here, but with this I think we should put Naruto's own poll into consideration, so then Sakura actually has 5 votes, but she would still need more in order to capture Naruto's heart, though in Sasuke's poll it would seem that he might end up in a harem with three girls…lucky jerk.**

**Also note that I wrote this down before the chapter, so Sasuke's poll might've changed since then.**

"Fire emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire emblem.'_ Normal thought

"**Fire emblem." Biju and Transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire emblem.'**_** Biju and Transformed Laguz thought**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

Chapter 5: A brief diversion

The continent of Tellius, blessed by the goddess. To the northwest lies the land of Crimea, home of the Greil Mercenaries. Without warning, Crimea's eastern neighbor, the kingdom of Daein, launches an attack on Crimea's capital city of Melior. Ike leads a handful of mercenaries to Melior to confirm Soren's news of the attack. En route, they happen upon a young woman, unconscious but unharmed. Fearing for her safety, they take here to their stronghold. When she awakens, the woman gives her name as Elincia and lays claim to the title of princess of Crimea. She relates the sad tale of her flight from Crimea and of her parents' murder at the hands of Ashnard, king of Daein. The Greil Mercenaries answer princess Elincia's plea for help and agree to escort her to the kingdom of Gallia. Located to the southwest of Crimea, Gallia is home to the Laguz, a race quite unlike Ike and his fellow Beorc. Crimea and Gallia have long struggled to overcome their differences. In recent years, the two kingdoms have done much to ease the prejudice between the Laguz and Beorc factions. Their combined efforts have forged a bond of trust and friendship that may yet overcome years of intolerance. Ike and company escape the Daein army, abandoning their longtime base. From there, they begin the long march towards Gallia. Their task clear and their destination far, they slip into an ocean of trees.

The team of mercenaries was walking through the forest while Elincia was sitting on Titania's horse and said redhead was walking next to the horse, holding the reins.

In the tree-line were an over-confident Daein archer and he readied his bow, aimed at the young brunette and fired.

Naruto heard the arrow approaching and he grabbed Mist-chan and saved her from being hit and Shinon instantly reacted and fired an arrow straight through the Daein's skull.

"T-thank you." Mist said as she got up on her feet and Naruto got up on his feet right after, but he noticed something lying on the ground and he knelt down to pick it up.

"Hey, Mist-chan. You dropped something." Naruto said as he was about to pick up the medallion.

"No, Naruto. Don't." Greil yelled, not wanting someone as powerful as Naruto to go berserk right now. But it was too late and Naruto had already picked up the medallion.

"What?" He asked as he got back up on his feet, not seeing any problems in picking it up.

Greil looked questionably at the young Laguz, he had expected something to happen by now, he himself went berserk instantly after picking it up a longtime ago, but Naruto? No nothing happened, not even as he gave the Medallion back to Mist. Could he somehow be immune like Mist? No, the only reason Mist was immune was because of that song she's always singing. Could it be that the medallion had only an effect on Beorc? No, that can't be it, only the Herons were immune to the medallion and that was only because of their Galdrars. So how is it that Naruto was seemingly immune to it? As far as Greil knew, Naruto couldn't even sing, much less sing a Galdrar.

Naruto's mindscape

Inside the vast sewer that is Naruto's mindscape, there was a certain fox with nine large tails that sensed a familiar chakra coming from the medallion.

"**That chakra, if I didn't know any better I'd say that was Yune, the so-called goddess of chaos."** The large fox said as he remembered having met her before about 900 years ago.

"**This couldn't get any better. As soon as I break through this seal, I can destroy that medallion and then I can finish what I started."** The fox said, trying to find a way to break through the seal so that he could kill Yune, and Ashera would go with her. Hopefully they wouldn't split in two like they did last time.

Crimea, forest near the Gallian border

Sakura walked through the forest, she had so far managed to avoid contact with any of the Laguz. And the few that she's seen, she managed to sneak around, using her ninja skills.

Suddenly she heard some voices, and curiously she headed towards where the voices came from, and she spotted a Daein camp.

She didn't realize however that a Tiger Laguz had spotted her and he charged at her and they both went through the bushes and into the camp.

The Daein soldiers were surprised to see a young human girl in the forest of Gallia of all places, but they didn't have time to think as the sub-human charged at the girl, but the sub-human was suddenly stabbed by a blood-red lance that seemed to de coated in fire.

Sakura looked up in fear at the one who was holding the lance, something about her reminded Sakura of Orochimaru.

"Mind telling me what a young girl like yourself is doing all the way out here in Gallia?" The woman asked as she had drawn the lance out of the Tiger.

"I-I'm looking for a friend of mine." Sakura said, not wanting to give away too much. After all, Ha'ar had told her not to reveal that she was looking for a Laguz in front of a Daein soldier until she was sure that the soldier could be trusted.

"And what would that friend of yours be doing out here?" The woman asked, already having figured out that it has to be a sub-human that the girl's looking for.

"This forest is the only place that I haven't searched." Sakura said, hoping that they'd believe her.

The woman was about to say something, but then a girl with pink hair walked over to her and whispered something into her ear.

"You!" The woman said after a little while as she pointed her lance at one of her men "Make sure to get this nice young girl a tent so that she can rest. After all she must be tired from her long journey."

"Y-yes, ma'am." The soldier said, afraid that she'd kill him if he didn't do as she was told and he took Sakura to a tent. Though he had to wonder why the ruthless General Petrine-sama, who has never shown any mercy to anyone would even bother with this girl. Who knows, maybe this was one of her rare good days.

Petrine on the other hand had other plans for the girl, Ena had told her that the headband that the girl had, had the same mark as the one that the sub-human in that mercenary group had, so they must know each other.

Crimea, forest near the Gallian border

The group was walking through the forest.

"blazes, why does it have to be so blamed humid? If we weren't being chased, I'd strip off this armor here and now!" Gatrie complained.

"Then I'm almost glad that we ARE being pursued. I suppose you'll have to grin and bear it, won't you?" Titania said.

"Hm, I suppose I will." Gatrie said.

"Right. So enough with your griping. You're merely wasting energy. Still, this heat is appalling." Titania said.

"Oh, I don't know 'bout you guys, but I feel just at home here." Naruto announced.

"Of course you do, you're a Laguz. But we're humans, dense forests like these aren't made for us." Shinon said.

"Actually, Konoha lies in the middle of a dense forest and it's mostly populated by Beorc, with a few Laguz here and there. Now let's see, there are at least three Laguz clans that I can think of, the Inuzuka clan, the Hyuga clan and the Uchiha clan. With the latter only having two remaining members, due to the Uchiha massacre." Naruto said.

"Was it some humans that decided to get rid of the Laguz?" Shinon asked.

"Nah, it was actually the doing of the clan heir, Uchiha Itachi." Naruto said.

"He killed his own family? That's unthinkable." Titania said.

"And here I thought Ashnard was mad!" Greil said.

"After the massacre, the only other survivor, Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke swore to get revenge." Naruto continued.

"Do the other Laguz in Konoha have fox-like tails like you do?" Ike asked.

"Nah, the Inuzuka have dog-like tails, the Hyuga have cat-like tails and the Uchiha have fiery red wings." Naruto said.

"Sounds like you've got all three types of Laguz in your village." Soren said.

"Huh, really?" Naruto asked and Soren nodded.

"The Inuzuka and Hyuga are beast-type and the Uchiha are bird-type." Soren said before continuing "…A little farther, and we'll be out of these trees."

"Really? That means Gallia proper! Compared to this forest, even a kingdom of half-breads will seem like heaven." Shinon said, not noticing the tick mark that appeared on Naruto's forehead at the word he used to describe Laguz.

Crimea, Daein camp

Petrine was currently in her tent, receiving a report from one of her scouts.

"…And that's when we lost track of them. I assigned a squad to pursue them and returned here so I could give you this report." The scout said.

"Understood. You may step down." Petrine said and the scout left the tent "So princess Elincia is making her way through the forest to Gallia…"

"Ena!" Petrine said and as her tactician came over to her, she continued "It appears your advice was sound. Well done. You have my praise."

"Thank you." Ena said.

"When the king assigned me a tactician, I wondered what I had done to lose his trust. When I saw that it was a young girl, I burned with anger at the king's judgment. Still, it's worked out better than I had expected. Keep up the good work." Petrine said.

"Of course." Ena said before leaving the tent.

"Now then, it's time for the hunt to begin. But first I must go and "talk" to our "guest"!" Petrine said before walking out of the tent herself to interrogate their pink-haired prisoner.

Crimea, forest near the Gallian border

As they approached the end of the forest, Greil suddenly stopped.

"Hold it right there, everyone. We're coming up to the edge of the forest. Form up. Combat positions." Greil said.

"I don't suppose our Daein pursuers were willing to let us just slip away." Titania said.

"There is no doubt they will attack again. Without knowing their numbers, it is difficult to advise a course of action." Soren said.

"Take your best guess, Soren. With the limited information we have, what is the best way to proceed?" Greil said.

"…some of our group cannot fight. If we are caught, we'll have a difficult time defending them and attacking the Daeins. I propose we separate into two groups: a small fighting force to engage the enemy and buy the main group some time, and the rest of us, who will escort the princess to Gallia at full speed." Soren said.

"You want to divide our combat strength? The main force aside, don't you think the risk to the smaller group is too high?" Oscar asked.

"Actually, Oscar-san. I'll have to agree with Soren-teme on this one. But if it'll make you feel any better, I could go with the smaller group. With the Kage Bunshin no jutsu, I can be any number from 1 to 1000." Naruto said.

"No, you'd need to go with the main group Naruto, you're the only Laguz we've got, so with you with us we'd be ensured a safer passage through Gallia. And we'd also need you to sniff out a possible ambush." Soren said.

"I agree with Soren, Naruto. You should stay with the main group." Greil said.

"All right, let's split up. The diversionary team will be Gatrie, Shinon and me. The rest of you guard princess Elincia and proceed to Gallia straightaway. Got it?" Greil said.

"Are you sure you're taking enough men?" Ike asked concerned.

"Idiot pup. Smaller numbers mean better mobility. Your time would be better spent worrying about yourself than about us." Shinon said.

"Listen up! This will probably prove to be the biggest fight this company's faced. Remember, you've got only one life. I don't want any of you dying on me. In times like these, it matters not what blood ties are. We are family. If you don't want to cause your family any grief, then live! Ike will be commanding the main force. Naruto, you're his support. All right, let's move out! See you all in Gallia!" Greil said before he, Shinon and Gatrie headed towards the pursuers.

Ike and the others headed down towards the border into Gallian territory and as they approached the edge of the forest they stopped upon noticing the Daeins.

"So they were waiting for us after all…" Ike said.

"There are…more of them then I imagined there would be. I thought they would have been spread out across the forest border…I didn't expect to see so many in one place." Soren said.

"Do we rethink our strategy?" Ike asked.

"No, we've already split up. It's too late to reconsider now." Soren said.

"Isn't there at least some way we can at least get the princess, Mist-nee-chan and Rolf to the far shore safely?" Ike asked.

"There are to bridges…this thicket extends to the edge of the westernmost bridge. If we can use the trees as cover, we might be able to reach the bridge undetected. From there, we can launch a surprise attack." Soren said.

"We'll be creating a diversion, right?" Ike asked.

"Correct. While we keep the enemy's attention, the princess and the others can cross the bridge to safety." Soren said.

"That plan's great and all, but what if the enemy happens to spot the three of them? I suggest that three of us will form a manji formation around them." Naruto said.

"What's a manji formation?" Ike asked.

"It's where either three or four people form a defensive ring around someone they're protecting." Naruto explained.

"In that case, I suggest that me, Rhys and Boyd will form a manji formation around them." Soren said.

"We've no time for discussion. That's the plan we go with." Ike said.

"My lord Ike-san, I…I will fight with you!" Elincia said.

"…No, you won't." Ike said.

"My lord?" Elincia said.

"I cannot let you expose yourself to danger of any kind. Everyone here is risking their lives to ensure your safety. You understand that, you'll cooperate and do as I ask." Ike said.

"I see…I will do my part." Elincia said.

"It's settled then." Titania said.

"Right, let's break through they're lines!" Ike said before Elincia, Mist, Rolf, Soren, Rhys and Boyd left to hide somewhere else.

"Everyone ready? Let's go!" Ike said before they started sneaking down towards the bridge.

Crimea, Daein camp

Sakura was lying motionless on the floor in the tent, she was in, Petrine had wanted to know about Naruto, but she wouldn't sell out her teammate, will of fire and all that.

"Pity, I had hoped that someone who had managed to befriend one of those beasts would have lasted longer than that, but I have to give the girl credit. She hasn't sold him out at all yet, but I'll change that soon enough." Petrine said before turning to leave, but before she exited the tent, she turned to a soldier and said "You, stay here and make sure that she doesn't try anything when she wakes up!"

"Y-yes ma'am." The soldier said in a frightened tone, showing that just like any other soldier at the camp except for Ena, he was afraid of her.

Crimea/Gallia border

Naruto leapt out of the forest and delivered a hard palm strike to the back of one of the Daeins head, and the Daein fell down onto the bridge.

A nearby archer was about to turn around to see what the sound was, but then as he had turned around, Ike stabbed him with his sword.

A nearby knight then ran towards them, but Titania rode up and cut into him with her axe.

Then Oscar came out of the tree-line and charged at a group of three Daeins that were standing near the eastern bridge and he cut all three down.

"We've spotted the mercenaries!" The captain of the Daein soldiers, Emil said before turning to one of his men "You there. Inform General Petrine-sama at once. Request that she gather the troops."

"Yes, sir." The soldier said before running off back to camp.

Naruto ran towards where the captain was standing as he formed his favorite hand sign.

"Kage Bunshin no jutsu." And two Naruto clones appeared before the three Narutos took out the three soldiers that were standing next to Emil.

"What's this? They're not bad! Let's go, men! Hit those mercenary scum with everything you have." Emil said.

A Daein axe knight rode towards Oscar, but he ducked under the poleax that was swung at him before ramming his lance into the enemy's horse, so that the horse fell down and Oscar then stabbed his lance into the enemy's chest.

Soren, Rhys and Boyd walked out from the tree-line, forming a triangle and inside the formation were Elincia, Mist and Rolf.

"I see the princess!" A Daein mage said before he ran towards them while reading something from his tome and winds started blowing up around him.

Soren noticed him and started his own wind spell and the two powerful gusts of wind hit each other as the two mages battled for dominance.

After a few seconds however, Soren got the upper-hand and blew the Daein away.

Ike ran up to Emil and swung his sword at the Daein, but Emil blocked it with his spear.

"I will not allow you to take one step more!" Emil said.

"Then I've no choice but to cut you down and walk over you!" Ike said.

Emil then pushed Ike away, but before he could do anything else, Naruto had gotten up behind him and stuck a kunai into his back and then Ike went in for the kill and chopped the guy's head of.

"Time to get out of here!" Ike said and the others followed him into the beast kingdom of Gallia.

"I don't know how, but we made it…" Ike said once he was sure that they were a good ways away from the border.

"Onii-san." Mist said as she, Rolf-kun, the princess, Boyd-san, Rhys-san and Soren-san came over to them.

"My lord Ike-san." Elincia said.

"Mist-nee-chan, princess, Rolf, Boyd, Soren-san, Rhys…are you all well?" Ike asked.

"Hah, do you even have to ask, they had me with them after all!" Boyd said, causing everyone to sweatdrop, and Naruto was reminded of a certain Inuzuka that he knew.

"Is this Gallia? We made it, didn't we? We're safe now, right? I thought I would feel different, but I don't." Mist said.

"This is all due to your efforts. Thank you…" Elincia said.

"Princess Elincia…" Ike said.

"It's still too early to rest easy. The others haven't rejoined us yet." Soren said.

"We're talking about the commander. I don't think there's anything to worry about." Titania said.

"Tou-san…Shinon-san…Gatrie-san…" Ike said as Naruto sniffed the air.

"Don't worry, they're still around, I can still smell them. Though there are a lot of Daeins in that area and even a scent I don't recognize, but it's clearly not a Daein…and is that…Sakura-chan?" Naruto said as he continued to smell the air "Wait a minute, that's strange!"

"What is?" Titania asked.

"There's someone in the Daein camp that smells like a Laguz, but at the same time she smells like the other Daeins." Naruto said.

"How do you know it's a female?" Soren asked.

"Males and females have slightly different scents, even most Laguz can't tell the difference, but I can strengthen my nose to a thousand times its normal strength with chakra. Hm, and there's another woman that's near Greil-san's location that smells a little like Soren-teme, but she's clearly a Daein and almost as strong as Greil-san himself." Naruto said and no one noticed that Soren looked up in curiosity when Naruto said that there was one who smelled like him.

'_Could she be a Branded too?' _Soren asked himself.

"…Princess Elincia, I'm afraid we're going to have to part ways here." Ike said.

"But what do you mean?" Elincia asked.

"We're going back to aid our companions. So I want you to continue with Mist-nee-chan to the royal palace of Gallia." Ike said.

"What? No, Ike! I'm going to stay with you!" Mist said.

"Listen to me, Mist-nee-chan. We must do it this way so that everyone gets out of here alive!" Ike said before turning to Naruto "Can you have one of your clones stay with them?"

"No problem!" Naruto said and Ike turned back to Mist.

"Tou-san and I will catch up to you right away! Don't worry. Have tou-san or I ever broken a promise to you?" Ike said.

"Well…no. All right, then. We'll go ahead." Mist said.

"Thank you, Mist. We'll see you soon." Titania said.

"All right. Titania-san…please take care of onii-san. Promise?" Mist said.

"You have my word on it." Titania said as Naruto formed a clone.

"Oscar-onii-san…Boyd-nii-san…don't get killed out there, all right?" Rolf said.

"Rolf-nii-san…" Oscar said.

"Knock it off, both of you! You're acting like a couple of old women. We're gonna be fine. Nothing bad's gonna happen while I'm around!" Boyd said.

"Pardon, Rhys-san…" Elincia said as she walked up to said medic.

"Y-yes?" Rhys said.

"Take this with you, please." Elincia said as she gave Rhys a staff that had a blue orb on the top instead of a red one.

"This is a mend staff, isn't it? Er, are you sure this is all right?" Rhys asked as he took the staff.

"Every one of you is putting yourself in harm's way on my account. I only hope that staff can mitigate your risks even slightly." Elincia said.

"Thank you very much! This will help greatly. I will use it to aid the others in your name." Rhys said.

"…Thank you. Please…be careful." Elincia said.

"If you'll excuse me." Rhys said before he left to follow the others.

"O benevolent Ashera…grant them all your blessings…" Elincia said as she, Mist and Rolf watched the others leave.

"Lead the way Naruto!" Ike said as they entered the forest again.

Crimea, Daein camp

Sakura was lying on the bed in her tent with her back to the entrance, trying to come up with an escape plan, but she knew that the guard would know instantly if she disappeared, well she could use her speed to outrun them, but at her level, she still wasn't fast enough to outrun a horse.

Outside the tent was the guard standing, occasionally looking into the tent to see if the girl was still there. A soldier with dark-blue armor instead of the normal black that was carrying a tray, or upon close inspection it would be possible to see that it's actually his shield with food on it came up.

"General Petrine-sama wanted me to get the prisoner some food." The soldier said.

"I'll give it to her." The guard said as he took the "tray" and turned around to give the food to the girl, but as he turned around, the other soldier hit him in the back of his head so hard that he fell unconscious down on the ground.

Sakura turned around in the bed to see what that sound was and she was surprised to see that one of the Daein soldiers might be trying to help her.

The Daein picked up his shield as well as the guard's lance before turning to Sakura.

"Come with me, I think I know where your Laguz friend is!" The soldier said and Sakura was surprised that he referred to Naruto as a Laguz and not a sub-human.

Chapter preview

Mia "Are you Ike-san?"

Greil "You and I, we've got more power than the average person."

Black Knight "I suggest you leave this to me Petrine-san."

Ranulf "Y-you, what are you?"

**Kyubi "You Beorc and Laguz would know me as Kyubi no yoko."** (Everyone gasps in surprise)

Petrine "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Shades of evil."

Character status

Naruto: Class: genin.

Level: 13

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Ike: class: ranger.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 10

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Boyd: Class: fighter.

Level: 6

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe.

Race: Beorc.

Oscar: Class: lance knight.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Rhys: Class: priest.

Level: 6

Techniques: Heal.

Weapons: heal staff, mend staff.

Race: Beorc.

Shinon: Class: sniper.

Level: 6

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel bow.

Race: Beorc.

Gatrie: Class: Knight.

Level: 12

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel lance.

Race: Beorc.

Soren: Class: Mage.

Level: 5

Techniques: Wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome.

Race: Branded.

Sakura: Class: genin.

Level: 1

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin.

Weapons: none (they were taken by the Daeins)

Race: Beorc.

Petrine: Class: paladin.

Level: 18

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Flame lance.

Race: Branded.

Emil: Class: halberdier.

Level: 2

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: short spear.

Race: Beorc.

**A/N: Now you'll unfortunately have to wait for 2 months give or take. In next chapter they also meet Petrine and Mia and Ranulf and even the Black Knight. Also if you're wondering who the guy that saved Sakura is then you can try and figure that out for yourself. I've also decided to add Sanaki to Naruto's poll and Jill to Sasuke's poll.  
**


	7. Shades of evil

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Gallia arc**

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Welcome back everyone, you might notice the change in the author's notes from in this chapter, well I decided that I and the cast of the story could answer any questions that you may have, now on to the reviews!

**yukidrewgear2: **Mist for Naruto, definitely. Unless the others show up, then add Hinata.

**Naruto: **What are you talking about?... Wait, Kurama no Kyubi, you're not doing anything behind my back, are you?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **(laughs nervously) What? Of course not, Naruto!

**Mzr90: **Really cool story I'm looking forward to how Naruto and the gang will change things up in Crimea and I already voted for Lethe,Mist and Mia I'm against NaruSaku and NaruHina. And just wondering if you'll add Sanaki for Naruto since I think their the same age besides would be funny if Tsunade found out Naruto got an empress after him.

**Naruto: **(looks angrily at Kurama no Kyubi) What was that about, not doing anything behind my back?

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Heh-heh… anyway, I've already added Sanaki… you're actually the one who gave me the idea!

**kalakauai: **1. This chapter was quick. Is it going to be like this for each of the rest of the ongoing chapters in the game?

2. So... Why make the Ninja laguz?

3. Are you planning to make the sequel after this story?

4. Is anyone else from Konoha (Naruto) coming?

**Kurama no Kyubi:** I'll try to make the chapters longer in the future.

**Naruto: **What? Don't you like that I'm a Laguz or something?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Actually, the reason I made them Laguz was because, well first of all, I thought it'd be interesting, second of all it'll play a major role later on. And yes, I will make a sequel!

**Kakashi: **No, no one else from Konoha will come, though from anywhere else in the elemental countries, yes!

**yukicrewgear2: **if Rolf gets strong enough, I suggest Arrow Shadow Clone technique, and lightning element training, it would help out a lot with his bow/ arrow. and I suggest water element training to augment her healing spells.

**Naruto: **Good idea, I'll keep that in mind.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Actually, Rolf's got wind affinity just like Naruto, so he won't be going through any lightning element training, only wind! And I suppose that you're talking about Mist at the end there, well I think she has water affinity, so she'll go through water elemental training!

**Mzr90: **Cool chapter seems like Naruto's already changing some people for the better and looking forward to who you bring into the fic and whether their Laguz or Beorc.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **You'll just have to wait and find out for yourself.

**kalakauai: **Shouldn't you focus on one fanfic?

**Boyd: **That's what we've been telling him.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Hey, if I did it like that then this story wouldn't even have started yet!

**Rolf: **That's the same excuse you're always using!

**yukicrewgear2:** ranulf in disguise? He's always sneaky like that.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **If you're referring to the guy who saved Sakura, then it's not Ranulf!

**BlueBakaNinja: **I am really enjoying this so keep up the great work!

one suggestion for the info at the end of the chapter can you put something to break it up it is a little hard to read where one profile ends and where another starts something as simple as a -

like:

Naruto: Class: genin.

Level: 13

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Ike: class: ranger.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 10

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **I tried, but for some reason that doc manager thing wasn't able to save the -!

**Raidentensho: **not bad. though i remember that ashnard's mount is ena's mate/husband so why not the skyblue haired beauty and crimea noble swordsmaster(forgot her name but she is one of elincia's retainers as well). yes she will be a very good fit for relations to be strengthened and help crimea recover. btw when in gallia will naruto change his attire to an altered double of ranulf's wears. that wouldn't be too shabby. hope this helps. can't wait to see of your ToS version as well. until then, ja!

**Kurama no Kyubi: **So far I've got no plans of altering Naruto's attire until the time-skip in-between Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn!

**Mzr90: **Nice chapter too bad will have to wait two months and glad to see Sanaki added I would like to vote for her but can't vote twice.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Don't worry, the two months are FINALLY over! Also since Sanaki is so far behind in the poll, I'll allow you to vote in the reviews as well, so if you want to you could vote for Sanaki each chapter until she catches up with the others, same also goes for Jill in Sasuke's poll!

**Ike:** Thatwas it for the reviews, now on with the story!

"Fire Emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire Emblem.' _Normal thought

"**Fire Emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire Emblem.' **_**Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Naruto: **Kurama no Kyubi doesn't own anything.

Chapter 6: Shades of evil

Sakura was lying on the bed in her tent with her back to the entrance, trying to come up with an escape plan, but she knew that the guard would know instantly if she disappeared, well she could use her speed to outrun them, but at her level, she still wasn't fast enough to outrun a horse.

Outside the tent was the guard standing, occasionally looking into the tent to see if the girl was still there. A soldier with dark-blue armor instead of the normal black that was carrying a tray, or upon close inspection it would be possible to see that it's actually his shield with food on it came up.

"General Petrine-sama wanted me to get the prisoner some food." The soldier said.

"I'll give it to her." The guard said as he took the "tray" and turned around to give the food to the girl, but as he turned around, the other soldier hit him in the back of his head so hard that he fell unconscious down on the ground.

Sakura turned around in the bed to see what that sound was and she was surprised to see that one of the Daein soldiers might be trying to help her.

The Daein picked up his shield as well as the guard's lance before turning to Sakura.

"Come with me, I think I know where your Laguz friend is!" The soldier said and Sakura was surprised that he referred to Naruto as a Laguz and not a sub-human.

Crimea, near the Gallian border

"They're not here either…" Ike said as he saw no trace of his father, Shinon or Gatrie.

"Ike-san, pursuing them any farther may be dangerous. I think it would be best if we returned to Gallia for now. It's possible the commander may have followed another road into Gallia. It's something we should consider." Soren said.

"… You're right. Getting killed looking for them would waste everything they accomplished by breaking away. I guess all we can do is trust that they're well and withdraw." Ike said and he was about to turn around and lead everyone back to Gallia when he noticed that Naruto was staring out into the forest as though he was in a trance.

'_That's Sakura-chan's scent alright, she's pretty close too, but what's that Daein doing with her? Has she been captured? If he's done anything to her I'll rip him to shreds!' _Naruto thought.

"Hey, Naruto! We're heading back to see if they took another road into Gallia, you coming?" Ike called out.

"Oh, right." Naruto said as Titania came over.

"Ike-san, there's a fort over there. Just now, for a moment only… I thought I saw someone. Shall we investigate?" She said.

"What? Really? Yes, let's have a look." Ike said, hoping it might be his father.

They then walked over to the fort and in through its main gate before they walked down a few stairs into a hallway.

"It seems as though this place has been abandoned for a long time." Soren said.

"There's no one here… hm. I could've sworn I saw a silhouette, but… I guess it was a trick of the light." Titania said as she looked around.

"No, there's definitely someone in here, I can smell them… and they smell like Daein soldiers!" Naruto said just before a Daein soldier came out from a nearby door.

"Here they are! I've found the Crimean mercenaries! Surround them!" The soldier yelled and several other soldiers came out.

"Curses! Daein troops!" Ike said before he and the other mercenaries ran towards a corner at the south-east of the fort.

One of the Daein soldiers ran after them, but Soren said something in an ancient language and a powerful gust of wind blew the Daein into the wall.

Boyd ran north and into a nearby room, but suddenly, a hand axe flew towards him, but he managed to duck it and the axe got stuck in the wall before he drew it out and threw it back at the Daein who had thrown it earlier, killing him.

Another Daein then ran towards Boyd, but Naruto came up in front of the Daein and stabbed him with a kunai.

Suddenly a girl with long purple hair, green eyes, a white bandana, an orange uniform, shoulder guards and she was carrying a sword came running down some stairs.

"Uh-oh. Daein soldiers here, too. Now, where's that exit… hm? What's that sound? Someone… fighting?" The girl said before a Daein came over to her, but she dodged his lance and stabbed him with her sword.

An arrow suddenly shot by Soren and he blew the archer who had fired it away, but he didn't notice a Daein that was behind him. Oscar's horse then kicked said Daein away and Oscar stabbed his lance through him.

The girl then ran over to Ike and asked "Are you Ike-san?"

"Yes, but… who are you?" Ike asked.

"I'm Mia. I'm a mercenary, hired by Crimea to bolster the army's numbers." The girl, now identified as Mia said.

"An army mercenary, huh? So, uh, what are you doing here?" Ike asked.

"I got careless and was captured. They were about to send me to a prison camp when Greil-san saved me." Mia said.

"You've seen my father? Where?" Ike asked.

"Just a little bit north of here. Not too far away, though." Mia said.

"Really? So he's safe…" Ike said relieved.

"Tell me, who exactly are you guys?" Mia asked.

"We're the Greil Mercenaries. As you can see, we're fighting against Daein." Ike said.

"Huh… you're taking on a whole Daein battalion with these numbers? Nice. That settles it then!" Mia said.

"Settles what?" Ike asked.

"This battle. I'm coming in on your side. You don't mind, do you?" Mia asked.

"It's fine with me, but… I don't know if you'll get paid just because I let you fight." Ike said.

"We'll worry about the details later! Great, so that's all taken care of. What next, boss man?" Mia said.

Titania then rode out into the main hallway and two Daein soldiers came towards her, but she quickly cut down both of them as Naruto picked up a wicked scent.

'_This scent… it smells of bloodlust, I've only ever smelled a scent like this when I've been close to that bastard Orochimaru!'_ He thought just before Petrine came riding down some stairs on the other end of the fort, followed by several Daein troops.

"Ha ha ha… found you at last. You provided more entertainment than I thought you would." Petrine said.

"Who are you?" Ike asked.

"Me? I am general Petrine, and my arrival marks your doom. Lament your fortune, dear children, for all hope is lost. You will not leave this place alive." Petrine said and Soren's, Titania's and Oscar's eyes widened.

"Petrine… of the Four Riders?" Soren asked.

"Do you know her, Soren?" Ike asked.

"She may be one of the four generals who are king Daein's most trusted confidants. She is said to wield a Flame lance of terrible arcane might." Soren said.

"Ha ha ha… you've heard of me? Why, I'm flattered. I'll try to make this easy on all of you. Give me the Princess, and do it now. If I roast the girl along with you curs, I won't be able to present her head to his majesty." Petrine said.

"Sorry to brake this to you, but you're a little too late! Elincia-san's already in Gallia!" Naruto said.

"What… nonsense is that? Do you expect me to believe you? There's no way mercenary scum like you could get past my troops!" Petrine said.

"They say that blind arrogance sows the field of its own destruction. Something tells me they were talking about you." A voice said.

"Who…?" Petrine said before Greil, Shinon and Gatrie came down some stairs, killed a Daein soldier and ran towards where Petrine was before stopping.

"Tou-san!" Ike exclaimed.

"What're you doing back here, you dumb pup?" Greil asked.

"We got the Princess safely into Gallia. When you didn't rejoin us, we decided to look for you. The mission wouldn't be complete until you returned." Ike said.

"… What am I to do with you? Still, you did well. Good work, Ike." Greil said.

"Ha. Ignoring me proves you've got more guts than common sense. So you're the commander, eh? Hmph! And here I was waiting for some great hero. You're just another sellsword." Petrine said.

"Am I?" Greil said.

"Ha ha. You know, I think I'll keep you! His majesty, well… let's just say he enjoys strong men. Yes, I do think you'll make a grand souvenir. You don't have to come along quietly, but I must have you alive. Dead men have no value, after all." Petrine said.

"… So the rumors of mad King Ashnard's twisted games are true, are they?" Greil said.

"Shinon-san… what are these "twisted games" the boss is talking about?" Gatrie asked.

"There's rumor that King Daein gathers strong men from around the continent and sets them to fight one-another. Those who live, regardless of their birth, are given influential positions. Don't know if it's true, though." Shinon said.

"Oh… so that weird dame's got her eye on the boss now, does she?" Gatrie asked.

"Shinon! Gatrie! I'll distract the woman. You two grab Ike and the others and get out of here now!" Greil ordered.

"Got it!" Shinon said.

"But, commander! We can't leave you here on your own!" Gatrie protested.

"Baka. That woman's no threat to the commander. All right? Come on! Let's go!" Shinon said.

"Move it! We'll regroup in Gallia!" Greil said.

"You'll not escape me. Not you or your little friends. You're far to tasty a treat to pass up." Petrine said.

"You said your name was Petrine, is that right? Listen up. This place is nowhere near big enough. There's not enough room for a true contest between the two of us. I'm going elsewhere. You coming?" Greil said.

"Do you actually think I'm going to fall for such a simple ruse?" Petrine asked.

"You and I, we've got more power than the average person. We don't come across a chance like this too often. I'd like to flex my muscles without any distractions getting in the way. You?" Greil said.

"Ha ha… you really do know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you? All right, I'm coming." Petrine said.

"Over here." Greil said.

"All right, men. I'm leaving you in charge here. Don't let even one of these Crimean vermin escape! Understood? I want them exterminated by the time I return." Petrine said before she followed Greil back the way he came.

"We join up with Shinon-san, and we get out of here! Come on, don't fall behind!" Ike said as a few Daein reinforcements showed up and Ike ran towards a Daein soldier cut through him.

Mia then charged at a fire mage who then sent a fire ball at her, but she managed to dodge it before stabbing the guy with her sword.

Titania rode over towards a Daein soldier who was clad in heavy armor and easily cut him down before another heavily armored Daein attacked her, but suddenly Naruto came up in front of him as he made a hand sign.

"Kage Bunshin no jutsu." Another Naruto popped into existence next to the original and started forming a ball of chakra in the original's hand.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto yelled as he slammed the ball into the soldier and he was sent straight through the wall.

A Daein archer fired an arrow at Shinon, but said sniper easily dodged it and fired an arrow of his own which went straight through the Daein's head.

Two Daein soldiers charged at Gatrie, but he simply just stabbed one of them before throwing him at the other one using his lance.

Ike charged at a heavily armored Daein soldier and dodged the Daein's lance before stabbing said soldier with his sword before another Daein came up behind him, but he was quickly killed by Mia.

Soren sent a powerful gust of wind at a fire mage, but said mage shot a fire ball at Soren and Soren's wind strengthened the fire, but Naruto came up in front of Soren and charged as much chakra into his lungs as possible as he weaved a series of hand signs.

"Futon: Kamikaze no jutsu." He called out as he blew a powerful gust of wind that had so much chakra in it that it actually managed to blow the fire ball back at the fire mage and said mage was burned to a crisp.

Two heavily armored soldiers walked towards Gatrie and Shinon, But Gatrie stabbed one of them while Shinon hit the other one in the neck with an arrow before Ike came over to him.

"Well met, Shinon-san. Are you unharmed?" Ike said.

"Do I look injured? I'm as fit as ever. You must be disappointed Daein hasn't stuck me full of holes yet." Shinon said sarcastically before continuing "Guess it's time to tighten our belts and move on. Now that I'm gonna be dragging your worthless carcass around again, I'll have to work twice as hard." Shinon said before he and Ike ran towards where the enemy general was.

Titania then rode towards the last heavily armored Daein and easily killed him with her axe before Boyd came over and threw the hand axe that he had taken from that one Daein soldier earlier at a healer, killing him.

Shinon shot an arrow at the enemy general who was named Balmer, but he actually dodged the arrow before Ike came up in front of him, ready to cut him up, but he said something in an ancient language and Ike could feel the ground under him getting hotter.

Naruto came up in front of Ike, grabbed him and got out of the way just before an eruption of fire shot up from the ground like a geyser.

"Whoa. So you're a mage, are you?" Ike said as Naruto let go of him.

"I am, vermin, and I will see you burn to cinders!" The mage said before preparing for another spell, but just then, a powerful gale came and disrupted his concentration and he looked towards where the gale came from to see Soren standing there next to Mia and Rhys.

Ike then charged at him and stabbed him with his sword.

"Urgg… ahh…" Balmer grunted before he died and the Greil Mercenaries walked in the direction that Greil and Petrine had walked.

"I have to find my father. Where did he go?" Ike said to himself before he and the others finally reached the room where Greil and Petrine where still fighting.

"Titania-taichou, is tou-san…" Ike said.

"Don't worry. Commander Greil's the better fighter. He'll be fine." Titania said and Naruto let out a sigh of relief, he had also been worried for the commander since he could easily tell that by ninja standards, Petrine would be considered Kage-level, but then again so would Greil-san.

"Dog's breath. Who are you, man? You look like a common sellsword, but you fight like a demon!" Petrine said.

"What's wrong? Ready to surrender?" Greil asked.

"And admit defeat? Me? don't be absurd…" Petrine said as a Daein soldier came out from a hallway behind her.

"Here they are! Over here!" The soldier said before several other soldiers came out behind him.

"Blast. Enemy reinforcements! Tou-san. Let's get out of here! There are too many…" Ike said, but Greil cut him off.

"… Looks like I've got no choice." Greil said, but before they could get out, several soldiers came out of each of the four hallways that led to the room, completely surrounding the mercenaries.

"Ha ha ha ha… so now, the tide has turned, hasn't it?" Petrine said.

"Naruto, how many of those clones can you make?" Greil asked.

"A couple thousand, why?" Naruto said and everyone looked at him with wide eyes.

"Why didn't you tell us that before?" Shinon asked and Naruto just shrugged.

"You never asked." He stated as Petrine pointed her lance at them.

"All troops, attack! Kill them! Kill them all!" Petrine yelled and the Daein soldiers prepared to attack.

"Tou-san!" Ike said.

"You have to survive this, Ike. I'm not going to lose you, not in this place. Are you ready?" Greil said.

"Yes, commander!" Ike said.

"You've nowhere to run. Curse whatever gods you hold, for they have abandoned you!" Petrine said, but then Naruto's nose picked up a new scent, but something about it was familiar. And suddenly, everyone could hear a loud roar.

"What was that?" Ike asked before they heard an even louder roar.

"B-b-beasts! Gallian beast soldiers!" One of the Daein soldiers yelled.

"R-r-run! We're going to get torn to shreds!" Another one yelled and all of them turned around to flee, but they stopped when General Petrine-sama spoke.

"Stand your ground, all of you! Don't panic! I will personally slaughter the first man to turn his back on the enemy!" Petrine said.

"NOOOO!" One of the soldiers yelled and the soldiers at the west, south and east hallways fled.

"Pfeh. Worthless cowards, one and all." Petrine said just before four Daein soldiers came from the west hallway and stopped before turning around.

"B-b-beasts!" One of them said before several large cats and tigers came out of the hallway and stopped, a blue cat that was apparently the captain of the Laguz was surrounded by a blue glow and he reverted into his humanoid form.

"Attention, Daein soldiers! Leave this place at once! If you do not comply immediately, you will face Gallia's full strength!" He said and all of the still-transformed Laguz roared.

"Threaten me all you like. It's not going to frighten me off. If I leave, his Majesty will have me executed. I'd rather die here in battle, with my honor intact." Petrine said before she looked at the blond shinobi and said "Oh, and by the way, blondie. That headband that you're wearing reminds me of that pinky I met in the forest earlier today!"

"Where is Sakura-chan?" Naruto said as his eyes suddenly turned crimson, his claws and fangs grew longer and his hair got wilder.

"Don't worry, we're taking good care of her." Petrine said with a sadistic smile on her face, not knowing what danger she was stepping into while saying this.

Suddenly red chakra started building up around Naruto until it formed a fox-like cloak around the blond just before he vanished and appeared just next to Petrine and he punched her off of her horse before jumping over it and thrusting his right arm down and the chakra-arm extended, but Petrine jumped back at the last second before it went straight through the floor.

"**Ranulf-taichou, what's going on?"** An orange cat asked.

"I don't know, I've never seen anything like this before!" The captain of the Laguz forces, now identified as Ranulf said.

Petrine thrusted her lance forward, but Naruto simply just grabbed it, however the lance then started burning. Petrine hoped that Naruto would burn to death from the flames, he's a beast sub-human after all. But that's not what happened; instead a second chakra-tail grew out behind the blond and with new-found strength, Naruto tore the lance out of Petrine's hands and threw it past her.

Of course, she could just turn around and pick it up, but she knew that if she did so, Naruto would use the opportunity to kill her.

"**Where is Sakura-chan?"** Naruto yelled as he got down on all four as a third tail started growing.

"I suggest you leave this to me, Petrine-san." A knight that was clad entirely in black armor and was standing behind Petrine said.

"The Black Knight…" Petrine said as she looked over her shoulder, but then Naruto thrusted his arm forward as Petrine looked back towards him and she jumped back, but Naruto managed to scratch her arm.

Petrine then picked up her lance just before she suddenly felt an intense pain in her left arm where Naruto had scratched her.

"You should withdraw, Petrine-san! As for your king, you have nothing to fear. I'll explain things to him. Take your men and go." The Black Knight said.

"Tsk, all troops, fall back!" Petrine said before she, her men and her horse fled.

Naruto then jumped at the Black Knight, but said knight just drew his sword and rammed it straight through Naruto with no hesitation before he threw the blond's lifeless body into the wall on the opposite end of the room.

"NARUTO!" Ike, Boyd and Rhys yelled, but suddenly everyone's eyes widened when Naruto stood back up and his wound seemed to heal itself.

"Seems like there's more to you than meets the eye, boy!" The Black Knight said as a fourth tail suddenly sprouted and the young Laguz's skin peeled off and the cloak got a physical appearance.

Naruto let out a powerful roar, sending out a shockwave which swept everyone but Greil, Titania, Gatrie, Oscar, Ranulf and the Black Knight off their feet. Then he thrusted his arm forward and it extended towards the Black Knight and said knight was surprised when his armor actually got four slash-marks on it, only weapons, blessed by the Goddess should be capable of that!

Naruto then jumped into the air towards the Black Knight, but the Black Knight tried to stab him like he had done before. This time however, his sword wasn't able to get through Naruto's skin at all, and he just threw the four-tailed red fox away.

"All right, go and get him, Naruto!" Boyd cheered and Naruto looked towards him and the others.

"Titania, get ready! I don't think Naruto's in there anymore!" Greil said as he and Titania stepped in front of the others.

Naruto then charged at them, but Titania got in his way and tried to block him, but he simply knocked her off her horse with one of his tails before Greil came up in front of him and swiped at him with his axe.

The axe didn't do any damage to Naruto, but the force behind it was strong enough to knock him back several meters.

Greil then charged at him, but he let out a powerful roar which sent out a strong shockwave, however Greil didn't seem faced by the shockwave and it didn't even slow him down.

Naruto then extended his left arm and knocked Greil into the wall before he looked towards the others as his tails rose into the air above his head and positive and negative chakra started forming. The positive and negative chakra then formed into a black ball of chakra and Naruto raised his head to eat it.

"Men, we have to stop **him from firing that ball!" **Ranulf said as he transformed and the Laguz all charged at Naruto before jumping at him and the ball vanished.

Suddenly however, Naruto let out a powerful roar and all of the Laguz was sent flying away into the walls and some even flew into the ceiling before falling back down and all of them except for Ranulf reverted back to their humanoid forms.

"**You think you could stop me?" **A voice that seemed to come from everywhere said.

"**Y-you, what are you?"** Ranulf asked as he tried standing back up.

"**You Beorc and Laguz would know me as Kyubi no yoko." **The voice which obviously came from Naruto said and everyone gasped.

"Kyubi no yoko? But he's only a myth!" Titania said.

"**Oh, I can assure you, I'm quite real and I've been trapped inside of this boy for 13 long years! Finally I can get out!" **Kyubi said.

"Trapped inside him? What do you mean?" Mia asked.

"**Have you ever heard of the term, Jinchuriki?" **Kyubi asked and only Greil, Soren, Ranulf and the Black Knight nodded.

"A Jinchuriki is one who has a demon like you sealed inside of him! And because of that, they're even treated worse than the Branded!" Greil said as he stood up.

"**Right you are, Greil. Naruto's a Jinchuriki, but thanks to you all and Petrine, I am close to breaking out. And as thanks, I think I'll get rid of your little Daein problem for you!" **Kyubi said.

"You can't be serious! No one could defeat an entire nation on his own!" The only female Laguz present said.

"**I wouldn't be too sure about that, Lethe-san! If he's anything even remotely close to how the myths says he is, then not even the Dragons of Goldoa would stand a chance against him!" **Ranulf said.

"**You're right about that, cat. But enough talk, it's time I finished you guys off!" **Kyubi said before he started forming another ball of black chakra.

The Black Knight then decided to be smart and escape while he still could, so a weird glyph appeared on the floor under him and he vanished.

Kyubi then ate the ball of compressed chakra and was about to fire it when a weird song suddenly filled the room.

"This is…! Hey, tou-san. Isn't this the song that ka-chan used to sing?" Ike asked, but Greil shook his head.

"No, it's similar, but different!" Greil said.

"**This is… a Galdrar?" **Ranulf said before he reverted to his humanoid form.

Out of the hallway that the Black Knight had come from earlier, came Sakura, singing a Galdrar.

"**Wh-what is going on?" **Kyubi asked as his Bijudama had dispelled as soon as the singing had begun and the four tails started retracting back into his body as his cloak was also dispelled and Naruto collapsed on the ground with a loud thud.

"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled as she ran across the room towards the blond and got down on her knees to see if he was all right "Someone has to heal these wounds!"

Rhys ran over to her and readied his Heal staff, but it was no use, the wounds were far too severe for a simple Heal staff, so he got out the Mend staff that Princess Elincia-san had given him and he started healing the wounds.

Just then a Daein soldier in blue armor walked in from the hallway that Sakura had come from.

"A Daein!" Boyd said before he charged at the guy.

"No wait!" Sakura yelled and Boyd stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder towards the pinkette.

"What…?" He asked.

"He was the one who saved me, he's not like the other Daeins!" Sakura said and the Daein removed his helmet to show that he had wild green hair.

"My name is Aran, I can tell that what King Ashnard is doing is wrong, so I have decided to join you guys!" The Daein, now identified as Aran said.

"May I ask you something?" Ranulf asked as he approached Sakura.

"Sure, what is it?" Sakura asked.

"Where did you learn that Galdrar?" Ranulf asked.

"A Heron named Rafiel taught me!" Sakura said.

"Prince Rafiel-sama? He's still alive?" Ranulf said, shocked.

"He's a Prince?" Sakura asked surprised.

Later outside the fort

When the mercenaries and the Gallian soldiers came outside, they were greeted by the sight of Princess Elincia, Mist and Rolf.

"Tou-san! Onii-san!" Mist exclaimed.

"Mist-imoto!" Ike said.

"Greil-san, Ike-san… I am pleased you are well." Elincia said.

"Princess Elincia-san… why did you return here?" Ike asked.

"The princess came and requested Gallian aid for your mercenary company. That is what brings us here." Ranulf said.

"Are you one of Gallia's Laguz?" Ike asked.

"That's right, I'm Ranulf, captain of the Gallian army and right-hand of King Caineghis-sama. And you are…?" Ranulf introduced himself.

"My name is Ike. Ike of the Greil Mercenaries." Ike introduced himself before they suddenly heard a shriek and they looked towards where it came from to see that Mist and Rolf had noticed Naruto's condition.

Much of Naruto's skin was still gone and he was still unconscious, so Mia had volunteered to carry him.

"Is Naruto-san all right?" Mist asked worried.

"Don't worry, he'll make a quick recovery." Rhys assured them.

"We didn't know what to think when this group of Beorc came tramping through Gallian fields… imagine our surprise to learn that one of them is Princess Elincia-sama. Now, that was a shock. Two days ago, Daein proclaimed their conquest. We thought Crimea's royals had all been killed." Ranulf said.

"Conquest? They've laid claim to Crimea? So that means Crimea must be…" Ike trailed off.

"I… also heard this news from Ranulf-san… after… after I fled the capital… uncle Renning-san… he… I… I am… all alone." Elincia said.

"Princess Elincia…" Ike said.

"This is why our king ordered extra patrols along the nation's border. It wasn't mere chance that brought my warriors here to offer you support." Ranulf said.

"I see…" Ike said.

"First of all, I must present Princess Elincia-sama to the king. As for the rest of your men, Ike, I must get orders from my superiors. Until then you may rest at an old castle inside Gallia. Sorry, but I cannot bring so large a group of foreigners to the palace without warning." Ranulf explained.

""I understand. Commander, that's not going to be a problem, is it?" Ike asked, but when he didn't get a reply he said "Commander?"

"Hm? What was that?" Greil asked.

"What's wrong? You're not paying attention. It's not like you." Ike said.

"I was thinking about something. So, what's been decided?" Greil said.

"Princess Elincia-san is going to the palace with Ranulf-san. We're going into Gallia and setting up camp at an old castle." Ike said before looking at Ranulf "Which way to this castle, Ranulf?"

"I shall prepare a guide to take you. One of you! Quickly!" Ranulf said.

"No, don't go to the trouble. If it's nearby, we cross the river on the border and head west. It's Gebal Castle, right? You go ahead. Get the princess to King Caineghis-sama as fast as you can." Greil said.

"… Understood. What thoughtful guests you are. If you'll excuse me." Ranulf said before he walked towards his men to escort the princess to the palace, but he stopped and turned around when he remembered something "Oh, and if it's not overly presumptuous, I'll have food delivered to you later."

"We'd appreciate it. The road has been hard, and we had little time to pack more than salted meat and hard biscuits." Greil said.

"Then we shall provide! Princess Elincia-sama, shall we leave?" Ranulf said.

"Farewell, everyone… until later. I will see you soon, won't I?" Elincia said.

"Take care." Ike said and Elincia left together with Ranulf and his men.

Gebal Castle

Late at night, Greil walked out of the castle and towards the forest, but Ike had seen him and decided to go and see if something was bothering him.

"Tou-san!" Ike said as he approached his father.

"Ike? What are you doing still awake?" Greil asked.

"I couldn't sleep, so I was lying there staring outside, and I saw you leave the castle. Where are you going at this hour?" Ike said.

"It's nothing to do with you, boy. Go back inside and get to sleep." Greil said.

"Will you stop treating me like a child? I'll do as I please, got it?" Ike said.

"Hmph. You always were a stubborn pup. What say we take a walk and chat a bit?" Greil said.

"… Yeah." Ike said and they started walking into the forest.

"Tell me, Ike, are you getting used to the ins and outs of the mercenary life? The way we approach combat?" Greil asked as they walked.

"I'm definitely a better fighter. But I don't understand… why would you put a recruit like me in charge?" Ike said.

"What is it with all the complaining? You have a problem with authority?" Greil asked.

"Just give me a straight answer. I've only just started. I'm barely able to handle my own duties around here. I shouldn't be in charge of anyone." Ike said.

"You can learn it all at once. It'll all fall into place as soon as you start to get some experience." Greil said.

"It's just strange is all… a while ago, you never would have said or done anything like this." Ike said and after a few seconds of silence as they walked Ike said "Is something wrong, tou-san? Why are you in such a rush?"

"Ike… do you remember anything at all about your mother?" Greil asked.

"What? Where did that come from?" Ike asked.

"Just answer the question." Greil said.

"Let's see… she was kind, I… think… I don't really remember. And you've never said much about her either." Ike said.

"Hm. Is that so…" Greil said before they stopped.

"Tou-san? What is it?" Ike asked.

"We're done. Leave me and go back to the castle." Greil said.

"What? Just like that?" Ike asked.

"You heard me. That's a direct order! Return to the castle immediately!" Greil ordered.

"I… fine…" Ike said before walking back towards the castle, but as he approached it he turned around to see that his father had continued walking and he ran after.

Chapter preview

Black Knight "I've been waiting for this for a long time, I will prefer it if you use your proper weapon, so that I may see you at your full strength. General Gawain-senpai, rider of Daein!"

Naruto "I'll be teaching the two of you to climb trees!"

Aran "We're surrounded on all sides by Daein troops!"

Greil "Forget about revenge… leave that knight alone… stay away…"

Sakura "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Despair and hope."

Character status

Naruto: Class: genin.

Level: 14

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Ike: class: ranger.

Level: 12

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Boyd: Class: fighter.

Level: 7

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe, hand axe.

Race: Beorc.

Oscar: Class: lance knight.

Level: 10

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Rhys: Class: priest.

Level: 7

Techniques: Heal.

Weapons: heal staff, mend staff.

Race: Beorc.

Shinon: Class: sniper.

Level: 7

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel bow.

Race: Beorc.

Gatrie: Class: Knight.

Level: 15

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel lance.

Race: Beorc.

Soren: Class: Mage.

Level: 6

Techniques: Wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome.

Race: Branded.

Mia: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 6

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron sword.

Race: Beorc

Sakura: Class: genin.

Level: 1

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin.

Weapons: none (they were taken by the Daeins)

Race: Beorc.

Ranulf: Class: Cat.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Cat Laguz.

Aran: Class: Soldier.

Level: 7

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Greil: Class: Hero.

Level: 10

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Urvan.

Race: Beorc.

Petrine: Class: paladin.

Level: 18

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Flame lance.

Race: Branded.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Ending it on a cliff-hanger, you all probably hate me now.

**Naruto: **It's not like they don't already know what's going to happen, you know!

**Ike: **Say, I was wondering, why did I add a "nee-chan" to Mist-imoto's name in previous chapters, but "imoto" in this?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Well, I thought "nee-chan" meant "sister", but I recently found out that it actually means "big sister", so I checked it out on Google translate and I discovered that the Japanese word for "little sister" is "imoto".

**Naruto: **Well, anyway. See you guys next chapter.


	8. Despair and hope

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Gallia arc**

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Welcome back dear readers to yet another chapter of Naruto: Path of Radiance.

**Sasuke: **This chapter, Greil'll die!

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Sasuke!

**Sasuke: **What? They all know it. Besides if Greil doesn't die, how are you gonna have Kabuto resurrect him in the fourth great…

**Kurama no Kyubi: **SASUKE!

**Sasuke: **What?

**Ike: **Enough of that, let's get over to the reviews.

**Izanagi: **Cool fic so far my votes are Lethe,Mia and Sanaki.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **To be honest, those are actually the ones that I hope for too, but you can only vote for Sanaki and Jill in the reviews.

**kalakauai**: I'm surprise that Kurama was able pop out of Naruto. And Naruto, I don't mind if you're a Laguz. Just read that the Hyuga Clan are the Cat Laguz kinda got me interested... :P

"Abandoning the mission, you are scum. Abandoning your friends and allies, your worst that scum."

My Questions:

1. Is Sakura going to join the Greil Mercenaries with Naruto for the time being? She'll make a very good asset to them and she can probably discipline Naruto if he gets out of hand. Seeing those to, they'll make a good comic relief.

2. Come to think of it who is going to be in Sakura's pairing poll?

3. A lot of people saw Naruto's Jinchuriki mode. Did he actually transfom into his Laguz form? In fact, Does any Laguz, who are not from Tellius, have the ability to transform?

4. So when is Kakashi and Sasuke going to pop in?

**Kyubi: You shouldn't be too surprised that I was able to speak through Naruto's body – if that's what you meant – I was able to do it because that stupid kid touched Lerhan's medallion earlier.**

**Kurama no Kyubi: **As for your questions, yes Sakura is gonna join the Greil Mercenaries and leave when Naruto eventually does.

**Sakura: **What do you mean about a pairing poll? (looks angrily at Kurama no Kyubi)

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Sasuke's in it (Sakura lets out a triumphant yell) and so is Naruto, Rolf, Sothe and I just recently decided to add Kurthnaga.

**Ranulf: **That wasn't like any Laguz transformation that I've ever seen!

**Nailah: **Actually, my homeland, Hatari isn't in Tellius or the elemental countries. And we can still transform.

**Kakashi: **I'm currently in the Begnion capital of Sienne, when do you think I'm gonna pop up?

**Sasuke: **I don't know when I'm gonna pop up, Tibarn likes to drag me along wherever he's going.

**Tibarn: **You're probably the last of your kind, I'm not gonna leave you alone, so that Naesala can steal you.

**Mzr90: **Cool chapter I'm voting for Sanaki but think its way to early to reveal Naruto's status maybe later would've been better and intrested in how Naruto will react to the fact the others know his status.

**Naruto: **Zzzzzz! (he's still unconscious)

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Thanks for your vote, that means 4 votes for Sanaki.

**Naruto: **Zzzz… let's get on with the story… zzz! (he's talking in his sleep)

"Fire Emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire Emblem.' _Normal thought

"**Fire Emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire Emblem.' **_**Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Rolf: **Kurama no Kyubi doesn't own Naruto or Fire Emblem, if he did though it'd be awesome!

Chapter 7: Despair and hope

Ike ran down a road in the Gallian forest, trying to find his father and wondering what's going on.

"Tou-san, what's going on? Where are you?" Ike asked no one in particular before he started picking up pace.

In a clearing, deeper into the forest were Greil and the Black Knight locked in battle as their weapons clashed, Greil's axe; Urvan and the Black Knight's sword; Ragnell.

Greil skidded backwards a little before charging at his black-clad opponent, but the Black Knight blocked Urvan with Ragnell just before Ike showed up. The Black Knight then pushed Greil backwards before he completely swung his sword and Greil jumped backwards as Urvan fell from his hands and landed on the ground a few feet away from where he himself landed.

"TOU-SAN!" Ike yelled as he ran towards his father.

"Ike, stay back!" Greil yelled and Ike stopped in his tracks as Greil got up on his feet again.

"Here, use this blade!" The Black Knight said as he threw Ragnell towards Greil and it got imbedded into a knocked-over tree that was lying on the ground in front of the commander of the Greil Mercenaries.

"What are you doing?" Greil asked.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time, I will prefer it if you use your proper weapon, so that I may see you at your full strength. General Gawain-senpai, rider of Daein!" The Black Knight said as he drew his second weapon, Alondite.

"That was my name, once…" Greil said as he picked up Ragnell "… But I threw it away." Greil then threw the sword back towards the Black Knight before picking up Urvan "The only weapon I need, is right here!"

"Do you… want to die?" The Black Knight asked.

"Your voice, I remember you. Think you can defeat me? The man who taught you how to fight? Heh, what a fool. Come on boy, come try me!" Greil said before charging at the Black Knight.

The two of them clashed their weapons once, twice, thrice, four times, but then the Black Knight thrusted Alondite forward in a stabbing motion and the sword went straight through Greil's body.

"Is that… all there is? No charge, no… resistance?" The Black Knight asked before pulling the sword out and Greil staggered backwards as Ike ran over to him and caught him before they both fell backwards down on the ground.

"TOU-SAN! Don't… don't lea… don't leave me. TOU-SAN!" Ike yelled as the Black Knight looked on.

"… Unbelievable. Is this truly what has become of my teacher?" The Black Knight asked.

"TOU-SAN! TOU-SAN!" Ike yelled as tears came from his eyes.

"I… Ike…" Greil said, weakly.

"Hold on!" Ike said.

"Now then, will you give me what I came for?" The Black Knight asked.

"I… don't… have it… I threw… it away…" Greil lied.

"Ha. You, who knows better than any what it truly is, threw it away? Surely you can craft a more plausible lie. You're not even trying anymore." The Black Knight said.

"I'm done talking to you." Greil said.

"So there's no way for me to get my answers, is that it? The dead keep their secrets, or so it is said. But you, however… you are not dead yet. I wonder… will watching your son's face grow pale, his eyes grow dim as his life bleeds away… and then your daughter… oh, the horrors I will visit upon her. Will that loosen your tongue, perhaps? I suppose we will simply have to see." The black Knight said before he took a few steps towards Ike.

"What?" Ike said as he stood up on his feet and charged at the Black Knight.

"NO! IKE!" Greil yelled, but it was already too late, Ike slashed his sword in a downward motion, but the Black Knight blocked it and pushed him back, so that he landed on his back on the ground.

"… Urk…" Ike grunted out.

"IKE!" Greil yelled.

"I won't check my hand again. Give me what I am after. If you offer no more resistance, I will leave your child alive." The Black Knight said.

"S-stop… you will not touch my son!" Greil said before Ike managed to stand back up and he slashed his sword at the Black Knight, but said knight just dodged it with ease, even with all that heavy armor he had on. But then they suddenly heard a loud roar.

"… What is this? The king of beasts? How bothersome. Do I retreat? Eh?" The Black Knight said.

"You're not going anywhere." Ike said.

"Tell me, is the son as stupid as the father?" The Black Knight asked before Greil tried to stand, but he fell back down as he grunted out in pain.

"TOU-SAN!" Ike yelled before he looked angrily at the Black Knight.

"Ike, stop. There's no way you can win." Greil said.

"But…" Ike started, but his father cut him off.

"Ike!" Greil yelled.

"You will not continue? Then I will finish…" The Black Knight said, but he was stopped when there was a roar, even louder than before "… So close. Now is not the time for me to deal with him. Hm. You get to keep your head today, boy." The Black Knight then stepped away before a glyph appeared on the ground under his feet and he vanished.

"Blast." Greil said as it started raining before he continued "So willful. So arrogant… of course… the one who… made him that way… was… m-me…" Greil then collapsed into the world of unconsciousness.

"… Tou-san? Tou-san! Hold on! I can't do anything here… I've… I've got to get you back to the castle!" Ike said and he knelt down to pick up his father tried to carry him over his shoulder as he walked back towards the castle.

"… Nngh…" Ike grunted after he had walked for a while and Greil opened his eyes.

"I-Ike…" Greil said.

"Tou-san? You're awake!" Ike said.

"I… there's something I need to tell you." Greil said.

"Tell me later. Right now, I'm getting you back to the castle." Ike said.

"Forget about revenge… leave that knight alone… stay away…" Greil said.

"What? Tou-san?" Ike asked.

"Stay with the king of Gallia… live here. Live in peace…" Greil said.

"Tou-san, stop talking. You're wasting your strength. Please…" Ike said.

"I need you to take care of everything… the company… Mist…" Greil said, already knowing that he's going to die here.

"Wait… you mustn't say such things! It'll be light soon. You'll be fine…" Ike said as they approached the end of the forest and he collapsed down on the ground as he saw the other coming towards him "A little longer… stay a little longer…" Was the last words Ike said before he fell unconscious.

Flashback

A young Ike got pushed back and landed with his butt on the ground.

"What's wrong, Ike? Done already?" Greil asked and Ike scoffed "Come on, son! You'll never beat me with that attitude!" Ike then stood up and swung his wooden sword at his father, but the seasoned warrior easily blocked it with his own wooden sword "Ha ha ha. Think you're as stubborn as your mule-headed father?" Greil then punched Ike in the face and said blue-haired boy was sent back several feet before he landed on his back before getting up "Ike. Grow up big and strong. I believe you've got the makings of a great warrior."

Flashback end

Urvan had been stabbed into the ground on a cliff, over-looking a river. Ike was standing in front of the large axe and Mist was sitting on the ground next to him.

"… Tou-san. This isn't a dream, is it? This… this is all real." Ike said as he looked at the axe, before he saw that the sun went down in the horizon "Mist-imoto. The sun's going down, and it's getting cold. Come on. Let's go." Ike looked down on her, but she didn't say anything, she just stared blankly at Urvan "Mist-imoto?"

"Oh… oh, Ike-onii-san… sniff…" Mist said in a low and sad tone.

"Mist-imoto…" Ike said.

"… W-why… why?" Mist asked.

"I was at his side, but… I couldn't save him. I'm sorry." Ike said as Mist continued crying "It's… it's so unreal…"

"Tou-san's gone… he's gone, Ike-onii-san. Sniff… and… I… don't… I don't know what to do…" Mist said in-between sobs and Ike kneeled down.

"Don't worry. I'm here." Ike said, trying to comfort his sister.

"O-onii-san…" Mist said.

"I'll lead the company… in Tou-san's stead… and I'll protect you all. You, the princess… everyone. I'll protect you. You'll see." Ike said.

"No… onii-san… Ike-onii-san… no…" Mist said, not wanting to lose him too.

"Mist-imoto?" Ike asked.

"I won't allow it… I can't lose you. Don't you see? If you go, then I'll be all alone… I won't allow it." Mist said.

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise you, Mist-imoto…" Ike said.

Gebal Castle, mess hall

"Commander… Greil-san… why is this happening? Why is any of this happening? Why now? First, Crimea… then we almost lost Naruto-san… and now you…" Titania spoke to herself where she was sitting in the mess hall as Ike walked in and Soren walked over to him.

"Ike-san…" Soren said, catching Titania's attention and she walked over to him aswell.

"Oh, Ike-san! Where's Mist-chan?" She said.

"She's resting in her room. Naruto-san, Rhys-san and Rolf are with her." Ike said.

"That's good… she needs to sleep. She's been through too much. We all have… you should rest too, Ike-san." Titania said.

"I'll be all right. Grief won't bring Tou-san back to life. I know I've been a burden on the both of you. Titania-taichou, Soren-san, I just need to thank you both for staying here with me." Ike said.

"Not at all…" Soren said.

"There's no need. Don't trouble yourself." Titania said and Ike looked around, but he didn't see anyone else there except for Aran who was sitting in the corner.

"So… where is everyone?" Ike asked.

"Ike-san, to tell the truth…" Titania started, but she stopped mid-sentence.

"Yes?" Ike asked just before the door opened and Oscar and Boyd came in.

"Boyd-ototou, Sakura-san and I are back." Oscar said.

"How did it go?" Titania asked.

"I can't believe it! They just left, and they didn't take one look back! Heartless scum! I'll never forgive them!" Boyd said.

"Boyd? What's going on?" Ike asked.

"Ike! Are you all right?" Boyd asked.

"I'm fine. Tell me what's happened. Start talking." Ike said.

"Well, uh, it's… what I mean to say is… uh…" Boyd said, not knowing where to start.

"Shinon and Gatrie have left us." Soren said matter-of-factly.

"Soren!" Boyd said.

"What? There's nothing to hide, is there?" Soren asked.

"They left? Both of them? Why did they… oh, I see. They left because of me, didn't they?" Ike said.

"Ike-san…" Titania said.

"Titania-taichou told us you were going to be the new commander. Shinon-san just about exploded… he and Gatrie-san left not long ago." Boyd said.

"We went after them. We tried to talk things out, but it was a waste of time." Oscar said.

"We all knew that Ike-san was going to inherit command of the company, didn't we? It just happened sooner then we wanted. It was Greil-san's decision. If some of us aren't satisfied with that, there's no reason we should stop them from leaving. As far as losing fighting strength is concerned, we can always solve that by adding new members." Soren said.

"How can you say that? After all the battles we've been through together, how can you say that?" Boyd asked.

"Forgive me, Ike-san. I wasn't able to stop any of this…" Titania said.

"It's not your fault, Titania-taichou. They did what they felt they had to do. They didn't want to lose their lives to an inexperienced commander." Ike said.

"Ike-san. Don't talk about yourself like that." Titania said.

"I'm not saying that to gain anyone's pity. It's the truth. But even so, I have no intention of giving up command of this company." Ike said.

"Ike-san? Then what will you…" Titania started, but she was cut off by Ike.

"I'm going to follow tou-san's wishes. I'm going to assume command. If everyone will accept me, that's what I'd like to do." Ike said with confidence.

"Of course!" Titania said.

"I'd already made up my mind. That's what I was going to do all along." Oscar said.

"What, so now you want me to start calling you boss? Is that it? Well, I can do that. Boss it is!" Boyd said as Rhys came in.

"I'm in, too." He said.

"Rhys-san!" Ike said.

"Mist-chan's asleep. I know I missed most of the conversation, but I have a good idea of what you've been discussing. Commander Ike… yes it does have a nice ring to it." Rhys said.

"What about you, Soren-san?" Ike asked.

"… Ike-san. I'm not sure what help I could be to you. What place is there for me in a mercenary company, anyway?" Soren said.

"Heh, if you're not around, then who's gonna come up with all the strategies?" They all turned to the door to see Naruto standing there next to Sakura.

"He's right. We need your tactical knowledge. We need your objectivity. You're not going to leave us, are you, Soren-san?" Ike said.

"Don't worry. I'll be here, watching over you." Soren said.

"Thank you. I know I'm not as experienced as most of you. I'm going to make some mistakes, but I'll try not to let you down." Ike said.

"Well, you're going to have a lot to learn about being commander. I'm glad you're serious, because it's a lot of work." Titania said.

"Tell me everything." Ike said as Naruto walked over to where Aran was sitting.

"May I sit here?" He asked and Aran nodded before the blond Laguz sat down at the opposite side of the table "You're name's Aran, right? I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I heard from Sakura-chan that you were the one who saved her. I wanted to thank you!"

"You don't have to thank me, I'm glad I was able to save her!" Aran said.

"Earlier, I spoke with a merchant caravan that's taken refuge here in the castle. They fled Crimea at the same time we did. I told them who we are, and they asked if they could travel with us. I think they're worried about protection from Daein. In exchange, they've offered us a good rate on items and weapons. They'll also buy items and forge weapons for us." Titania told Ike.

"Uh-huh…" Ike said.

"They also said we could use their wagons to store our goods. That's one more worry off our minds." Titania continued.

"Uh-huh…" Ike said.

"So anyway…" Titania continued, but she was cut off by Ike.

"Titania-taichou!" Ike said.

"Yes?" Titania asked.

"I know I said "tell me everything", but… this is too much. I can't keep up. Maybe I shouldn't learn everything in one sitting. Can you show me the ropes along the way? Is that all right?" Ike said.

"Oh… yes, of course. Sorry. I got a bit carried away." Titania said.

"I'll take over for now. why don't you get some rest?" Ike suggested.

"I'm all right…" Titania started, but Ike cut her off.

"You worry too much. Get some rest. That's an order. I'll do my best to manage." Ike said.

"Yes… Commander." Titania said before she went to bed.

Support conversations

Naruto/Sakura

Naruto walked into the courtyard behind the castle to see Sakura standing there, looking up at the stars.

"Why didn't you tell us, Naruto?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were the Kyubi Jinchuriki?" Sakura asked as she turned around.

"Oh! I wanted to tell you, all of you. But… I was afraid that if you knew…. Then you'd treat me like everyone else." Naruto said as he looked down on the ground with a sad expression on his face… before Sakura punched him and he landed with his butt on the ground "Ouch, what'd you do that for?"

"We're your friends, kami dammit. How could you ever think, even for a second that we'd hate you if you told us?" Sakura yelled.

"… I don't know…" Was all that Naruto said.

Ike/Oscar

Ike walked into the mess hall to see Oscar, walking towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Oscar-san, can you spar with me for a sec… wait! Where are you going?" Ike said and Oscar turned to look at him.

"Sorry, Ike! No time! I have to prepare the evening meal today." Oscar said.

"You? Where's Mist-imoto?" Ike asked.

"She's off training with Rolf-ototou and Naruto-san. It's been a while since I cooked. I hope I haven't lost my touch." Oscar said.

"I haven't had one of your suppers in ages! I'm looking forward to it." Ike said.

"Really?" Oscar asked.

"Yeah, of course! You're a great cook! Why do you ask?" Ike said.

"Well… I never knew that. Mist-chan, Shinon-san and Rhys-san were the only ones who ever commented on the subtle spices and flavors that I use… I mean, my brothers are used to my cooking, and Soren-san hates everything. I think he'd stop eating if he could… sure, Commander Greil-san, Titania-taichou, Gatrie-san and you ate everything on the plate. But… I feel like you'd eat anything." Oscar said.

"Oscar-san, I didn't just shovel the food into my mouth. I enjoyed it! I really did! Remember the first day that Mist-imoto took over your cooking duties? Just thinking about it makes me ill… ha. Even tou-san was having trouble choking it down! But I think Mist-imoto is finally starting to get the hang of it." Ike said.

"Just like you're training to improve your swordsmanship, Mist-chan is training to improve her culinary skills. You should give her some support. Hearing someone say "delicious" is the best encouragement a cook can get." Oscar said.

"I see… then I'll make sure to say "delicious" from now on." Ike said.

"Ha ha. Thanks." Oscar said before walking into the kitchen.

Info conversations

Tree climbing

Naruto led Mist and Rolf into the forest until they eventually came to the clearing where – unknown to them – Greil and the Black Knight had fought.

"What kind of training, will we be doing way out here?" Rolf asked.

"Tree climbing!" Naruto said as he turned around to look at them.

"What?" They both said at the same time.

"I'll be teaching the two of you to climb trees!" Naruto said.

"But how will, climbing trees be training?" Mist asked.

"Simple… you're not allowed to use your hands!" Naruto said.

"But that's impossible!" Rolf said as Naruto walked over to a tree.

"No, not impossible." He said before putting his right foot on the trunk and then his left before he actually walked up to a branch and walked out on the bottom of it while the two pre-teens watched in awe. Naruto then threw two kunais down and they landed right in front of the younger kids.

"You have to channel your chakra into your feet to stick to the bark. It might help to run at first, and I want you to use the kunais to mark your progress. Now pick a tree and start the training." Naruto said and the two kids ran towards their own trees.

Merchant

Ike walked into the castle's entrance hall to see three men and a woman.

One of the men had long blonde hair that was in a ponytail and he wore a green, sleeveless vest with a white shirt underneath.

One of the other men had long brown hair that was in a ponytail and he wore a red sleeveless vest with a white shirt underneath.

The oldest of the men had a brown beard and was bald on the top of his head, he wore a light-blue shirt with a darker-blue sleeveless vest over it, and he wore grey pants.

The woman had long black hair, she wore a long pink veil and a red top.

Well, hello… you must be the young commander I've heard so much about. My, and you are a young one, aren't you?" The woman said.

"And you must be from the merchant caravan Titania-taichou told me about. The one that asked to travel with us?" Ike asked.

"Yep, that's us. It must have been fate that brought us all here together. If you'll offer us protection, we'll supply you with the provisions you require. At a reasonable price, of course. What do you say? It's for the greater good of us all, wouldn't you agree?" The oldest of the men said.

"Well… it is a sound proposition." Ike said.

"Yes! Then we have an agreement. I'm the weapon merchant, Muston. I'll be sure to stock the weapons you prefer." The oldest of the men, now identified as Muston said.

"And I am Aimee, a vendor of… various goods. I have a wide variety of items for sale. I hope you'll stop by soon." The woman, now identified as Aimee said.

"The name's Jorge. I buy things. Anything, really. You got any weapons or items you don't need, bring 'em to me." The blond man, now identified as Jorge said.

"My name's Daniel. I'm a craftsman. I specialize in made-to-order items." The last man, now identified as Daniel said.

"There's one last item to cover. If you'd like, we can also act as a storage warehouse of sorts, carrying your extra things. What do you think?" Muston said.

"That would be fantastic. We recently left our stronghold, and I was afraid we'd have to carry our goods ourselves! I'm happy to take you up on your offer." Ike said.

"Very good. Well then, may our enterprise be profitable for us all." Muston said.

Unknown

After having talked with the merchants, Ike walked out to think and as he approached the forest, he heard something that sounded like someone crying.

"I hear someone… is it coming from over here?" Ike said before he went to check it out.

In the forest was Titania alone, crying over the loss of Commander Greil-san.

"… Ah… sniff… why… Gre-Greil-san… why? Why you? Why did you… have to… sniff… sniff… why…?" She said in-between sobs.

Rolf

Later Ike walked to Mist-imoto's room to see if she was all right and when he entered the room, he saw her lying in the bed and Rolf was sitting on a chair next to said bed.

"What's going on, Rolf?" Ike asked.

"Oh, Ike-san. If you're wondering about Mist-chan, she just fell asleep." Rolf said as he looked towards Ike.

"Really? Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, Rolf." Ike said.

"It's all right. I don't mind." Rolf said.

"It's getting late. You should get yourself to bed." Ike said.

"I will, but… um…" Rolf started.

"What is it?" Ike asked.

"Mist-chan is just fine." Rolf said.

"Hm?" Ike was wondering what Rolf meant.

"You're here, Ike-san. So she's fine. I mean, she's going to be fine." Rolf said.

"Huh?" Ike said.

"That's all! Well, good night." Rolf said before walking out of the room and towards the one he shared with his brothers.

"Rolf… thank you." Ike said.

Boyd

Early the next morning, Ike walked into the entrance hall before Boyd came over to him.

"Hey! Working, already, Ike? If you need any help, just let me know." Boyd said.

"Boyd, how do you feel about this?" Ike asked.

"About what?" Boyd asked.

"About me being the new commander. Before, you hated the idea, right? So, I want to know the truth. Will you really take orders from me?" Ike said.

"Well… I know what you can do and what you can't… I don't know if I want you in charge if things get really dangerous. But on the other hand, this is what Commander Greil-san wanted… he had faith in you, and I've got faith in him." Boyd said before continuing after a small pause "The commander hired both Oscar-nii-san and me. When our dad died, I was the one who had to take care for baby Rolf… I had no clue what I was supposed to do. Oscar-nii-san received a discharge from his military service and came home, but life was hard. That's when Commander Greil-san found us… he gave us jobs, a place to sleep, food on our plates… he gave us our lives back."

"Boyd, you've all worked off any debt you may have owed him. You don't have any obligation to me." Ike said.

"This isn't about obligations anymore. Commander Greil-san always said we were all part of one big family, didn't he? I'll do anything to protect my family… that's why you can always count on me." Boyd said.

"I see." Ike said.

"Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. But don't ever try to hold us at arm's length. You got that?" Boyd said.

"Don't worry about that. I'm going to work you to the bone." Ike said.

"Oh, really? I'll take whatever you can dish out! Try me!" Boyd said.

Rhys

Ike walked into Rhys room to talk to him about something and he saw Rhys sitting on his knees with his hands clasped together.

"Rhys-san?" Ike asked as he entered the room and Rhys looked over his shoulder to see the Ranger.

"Ike-san…" Rhys said before he stood up on his feet and turned around.

"What were you doing?" Ike asked.

"I was praying." Rhys said.

"For my father?" Ike asked.

"Yes. You see, the commander… he… he…" Rhys started as tears started welling up in his eyes.

"Rhys-san…" Ike said.

"I'm sorry… I know this must be… so much harder on you… forgive me…" Rhys said.

"… A long time ago, tou-san told me a story… it was about the dead… he said the more tears we shed… the more blessings they receive in the hereafter… I envy you, Rhys-san. For some reason, I can't seem to cry at all… Rhys-san, if you could, shed a tear for me, too. I'd be grateful." Ike said.

"… I-Ike-san. I would be honored." Rhys said.

"… Thanks, Rhys-san. Thanks for caring so much about my father…" Ike said.

Newcomers

Ike walked into the mess hall to get some breakfast and he saw Mia, Sakura and Aran sitting at the same table, so he walked over to them hoping to get to know them a little better and wanting to know what they think about him being commander.

"May I sit here?" He asked.

"Sure, I don't see why not, Ike-san!" Mia said and Ike sat down.

"I would like to know what your opinion on me being commander is, if you don't like it, then you could leave at any time." Ike said.

"Hey, I'm not leaving. Greil-san might be dead, but he still saved me, so I think I'll stay with this company for a while. As for you being the commander, I don't mind." Mia said.

"What about you… eh, Sakura-san. Was it?" Ike said.

"Don't worry, I've heard of people younger than you who have lead teams before!" Sakura said.

"You have?" Aran asked.

"Yep, take Kakashi-sensei for example, I heard that he became a jonin – the highest shinobi rank next to Kage – when he was only 12!" Sakura said.

"12? Then he must be strong!" Mia said and Sakura nodded.

"Yep, that's true!" She said.

"And what about you, Aran-san? You could return to Daein anytime!" Ike asked.

"If I returned now, they'd have me executed. But I knew that what Ashnard's doing is wrong, so I'm not returning until he's dead. I don't mind having you as commander either, I don't think your father would have gone up against someone that he knew could possibly be his match without having faith in your ability to lead!" Aran said.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Ike said.

Gebal Castle, entrance hall

As Ike walked out into the entrance hall after breakfast, he noticed that it had started raining, and he walked down the stairs as Titania came over to him.

"Good morning, Ike-san. How are things going? Does everything look good?" Titania asked.

"Titania-taichou. Did you get enough rest?" Ike asked.

"Enough as could be expected, given everything that's been going on. But now, we've got some business to deal with. First, we need some new recruits. Oh, but our audience with King Gallia-sama comes first. Any word from the palace?" Titania said.

"No, nothing yet. According to the Laguz who brought our food, we should be receiving word sometime soon, but…" Ike said, but he got cut off when Aran, Mia, Sakura, Naruto and Oscar came running out of the mess hall.

"Ike-san, look out the window!" Naruto yelled and Ike looked out and his eyes widened… they were surrounded by Daein soldiers.

"That's not what I think, is it?" Ike asked.

"We're surrounded on all sides by Daein troops!" Aran said and Soren, Rhys and Boyd came out from their rooms as they heard what he had said.

"Why do they have to show up now?" Rhys asked.

"What gives? We're inside Gallia's borders, aren't we? They must be out of their minds to pursue us this far!" Boyd said.

"If they've come this far, I'm sure getting out of here alive was never one of their priorities." Oscar said.

"We're in trouble. They have us completely surrounded. We cannot escape." Soren said in his normal calm voice.

"If only Kakashi-sensei was here…" Sakura said.

"So many of them… and so few of us… it doesn't look good, does it?" Titania said.

"Doesn't matter. We have to fight. Greil Mercenaries, ready yourselves!" Ike said.

"Yes, sir!" Titania said.

"I'll begin formulating a strategy immediately." Soren said.

"Ike-onii-san!" Mist said as she walked over to Ike.

"Mist-imoto. I want you and Rolf to go in the back and hide!" Ike said.

"But, Ike-onii-san…" Mist said.

"Just do it now! Everything will be fine, but I need you to do this, all right?" Ike said.

"Mm… All right. Be careful…" Mist said as she noticed that her medallion started glowing "Ah. It's happening again… my medallion's glowing."

"Ka-chan… tou-san… if you can hear me, please watch over Ike-onii-san. Please. Will you protect him?" She said.

Gebal Castle

The Greil Mercenaries ran out of the entrance to the castle and into the rain to fight the Daein forces.

"All right, everyone, are you ready? Greil Mercenaries, move out!" Ike said.

"Well, at least there's one good thing about this." Naruto said.

"Like what?" Sakura asked.

"They've stopped underestimating us!" Naruto said.

"I've devised a strategy!" Soren said and the others looked at him.

"What is it?" Ike asked.

"First of all, we are vastly out-numbered and they have us surrounded too. In order to fight them, we have to divide our forces and fight back the Daein troops. Mia, Naruto-san and Aran, you three take the east side! I, Boyd and Sakura will take the west side! Titania-taichou and Oscar-san will take the south! And Ike-san and Rhys will stay here, Ike-san to make sure that none of our enemies gets inside the castle and Rhys so that he can easily make it to anyone of us who've been injured!" Soren explained his plan.

"Alright, we'll go by that plan!" Ike said.

"But won't dividing our forces, increase our risk?" Sakura asked.

"True, but in a situation like this, we'd be in greater risk if we'd all stay in one place!" Soren said and Sakura leaned towards Naruto's ear.

"He reminds of Shikamaru." Sakura whispered.

"No, are you kidding me? Shikamaru's way smarter!" Naruto whispered back.

Mia, Naruto and Aran then moved towards the staircase that was on the east side of the castle and led up to the east wall. Soren, Boyd and Sakura moved towards the staircase on the west end that led to the west wall. And Titania and Oscar rode down the staircase that led out of the courtyard while Ike and Rhys stayed where they were.

Naruto was the first who made it up the stairs and when he got up, he saw several Knights standing there. One of the Knights tried to stab him with his lance, but the young Laguz easily jumped over him and kicked him hard in the back of his head before landing.

A soldier charged at Mia and swung his sword at her, but she blocked it with her own sword before pushing him back and stabbing him in the stomach.

A Knight threw his javelin at Aran, but said Soldier blocked it with his shield before charging at the guy and stabbing his lance through the guy's neck.

Boyd ran up the stairs and charged at a Daein Fighter who was carrying a poleax and he swung his own axe at the enemy soldier, but said soldier blocked Boyd's axe, however he didn't notice Sakura who threw a shuriken into his neck.

An archer then fired an arrow towards Soren, but said Mage sent a small gust of wind towards the archer and the arrow was sent back to where it came from.

Titania and Oscar came riding down the stairs and were faced with six enemy riders. Titania rode towards one of them and swung her axe at one of them before another one charged at her and she blocked his axe with her own before a Lance Knight that was carrying a javelin came up behind her and threw it. Titania ducked under the javelin and it hit the other Daein in the face. She then took the javelin out of him herself and threw it through the stomach of the one who had originally thrown it.

Oscar thrusted his lance through the stomach of one of the enemy riders before charging at another one who in turn charged at him and both of them were holding their lances out before thrusting them towards each other as they approached each other. Oscar hit the enemy rider in the stomach and now there was only one Daein rider left. He charged at Oscar and swung his axe, but Oscar ducked under it and pushed the guy off of his horse before stabbing him with his lance.

Gallia palace, Lethe's room

In her room in the Gallian palace was the female Cat Laguz Lethe currently sharpening her claws as her mind kept going back to that battle when they saved the Greil Mercenaries. She couldn't stop thinking about that one Laguz who had knocked out nearly their entire platoon without even trying, not even King Caineghis-sama could do that. Well sure, he was strong, but not so strong that he could knock out nearly an entire platoon by simply roaring. And Lethe, just like any other female Laguz liked strong men. Well, sure, she knew that it wasn't really Naruto-kun's own power, but it didn't matter, she had already fallen for him, which is why she's currently sharpening her claws, after all, she wants to be in top shape when she meets him again.

"So, who is it?" Lethe froze, she recognized that voice all too well. She turned around and sure enough, there stood her twin sister, Lyre-imoto.

"Lyre-imoto? What are you doing here?" Lethe yelled.

"I came here to visit you. Now tell me, who is it?" Lyre said.

"Who's who?" Lethe asked confused.

"Come on, Lethe-nee. You know what I mean. I can tell that you have a crush on someone, now tell me, is it Mordecai-san? Kysha-san? It better not be Ranulf-san?" Lyre said as Lethe blushed.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Lethe said.

"Oh, really? Then why are you sharpening your claws? You would only do that if you were going to see a guy!" Lyre said.

"Alright, it's a guy I saw on my last mission, you happy now?" Lethe said, frustrated.

"On your last mission? But wasn't that when you met up with Princess Crimea-sama? Don't tell me that you've fallen for a human?" Lyre said.

"Of course not, there were a Laguz amongst them!" Lethe yelled.

"Ah, so that's the one you've fallen for? Well, I can't wait to meet him then!" Lyre said before someone knocked on the door and Lethe opened it to see the Tiger Laguz, Mordecai standing there.

"Lethe-san, it's time to go!" He said before running off and Lethe ran after him, their destination… Gebal Castle!

Gebal Castle

Naruto threw a kunai into the neck of one of the Daein soldiers before he noticed a girl with long bluish silver hair, a green blouse and a white cape. She didn't seem to be like any of the attacking Daeins, nor did it look like she wanted to be there.

"Who're you?" Naruto asked.

"I… I… I'm a traveling mage. My name is Ilyana. This castle… oh…" The girl, now identified as Ilyana said she shivered.

"Hey, are you all right?" Naruto asked concerned.

"I'm sorry… this rain is so c-cold. I feel like I'm f-freezing…" Ilyana said.

"You don't look too good. Are you sick? Do you need medicine?" Naruto asked.

"You're awfully kind, aren't you?" Ilyana said.

"Ya know, you don't look like any Daein soldier I've ever seen. Nor do you smell like them. Are you really one of them, or have they press-ganged you into service?" Naruto said.

"I was traveling with some merchants, but we got separated. I came here to escape this rain, but some soldiers in black found me. They thought I was a Crimean refugee. I tried to tell them who I was, but they wouldn't believe me. They said they would put me to the sword if I didn't help fight you. I'm… very sorry…" Ilyana said.

"There's no need to apologize, must people would've done what you did. But listen, the merchant convoy that you were with might be the same one as the one in the castle! There was a weapons vendor named Muston-san, and I think a woman named Aimee sold items…" Naruto said, but he was cut off by Ilyana.

"That's them! Oh, that's incredible! Are they all unharmed? Where are they?" Ilyana exclaimed.

"Don't worry, they're just fine, Dattebayo! And I think we had come to an agreement with them so that they would travel with us. If you're with them then we can protect you from Daein." Naruto said.

"You're right! Yes, would you please allow me to join your company, too?" Ilyana asked.

"That's just fine by me, Ilyana-san. But I think you'd have to take it up with Ike-san. Now go ahead and seek shelter in the castle. We'll hold of the Daeins." Naruto said.

"No… I'll fight, too." Ilyana said.

"But you're sick…" Naruto started, but he was cut off by Ilyana.

"You'll need some help. This isn't the full force of Daein soldiers. More of them are waiting in the forest. You need me." Ilyana said.

"… Alright. Get back at the Daeins for what they made you do!" Naruto said.

"Thank you." Ilyana said before she looked towards a nearby Daein and chanted something in an ancient language before a bolt of lightning came down and killed the soldier before several Daein reinforcements came from the forest.

"Great, there are more of them!" Boyd said as he cut down a Daein soldier.

"You can't worry about that, Boyd-san!" Sakura said as she cut her kunai into a Daein's throat.

"She's right. For all we know, there can be even more Daeins in the forest!" Soren said as he blew a gust of wind and sent two Daeins into the wall.

Mia blocked the sword of a Daein soldier, but then, an archer who was carrying a longbow fired an arrow at her and hit her in the knee. The Daein soldier then pushed his sword forward and Mia fell to the ground before the Daein was about to kill her. But just in time came Aran and stabbed his lance through the Daein.

"Hurry, get yourself to Rhys-san!" Aran said and Mia stood up and started lumping towards where Rhys-san was while pulling the arrow out of her knee. The Daein archer then fired two more arrows at her, but two shuriken came flying in and cut the arrows in half before said arrows fell to the ground and the shuriken hit the wall.

A third shuriken then came and went straight for the archer, but he managed to just barely dodge it. However, when the shuriken was behind him, it transformed into Naruto and kicked him in the back of the head.

Two fireballs then flew at Naruto, but as he turned around, Ilyana came up in front of him and summoned forth a bolt of lightning which cut straight through the fire balls – dispersing them – and hit both Mages.

Mia came lumping down to the courtyard that Ike-san and Rhys-san were in and Rhys-san came over to her as she fell down on the ground.

"What happened?" He asked as he held the ball-end of the staff over Mia's knee and it started glowing.

"One of those bastards hit me with an arrow." Mia said before the staff's ball-end stopped glowing and she stood up and headed back.

"You should be a little more careful!" Rhys yelled after her.

"Huh? What's going on? All troops, attack!" The general of the Daein forces, Kamura said before even more Daein reinforcements showed up.

"There are still more of them? Everyone, fall back to the castle! Regroup! Regroup within the castle!" Ike said.

Gallia, road to Gebal Castle

Lethe and Mordecai ran down the road towards Gebal Castle before Mordecai suddenly stopped.

"Mordecai-san, what is it?" Lethe asked.

"I smell Beorc, lots of them! And they have weapons and armor!" Mordecai said before Lethe sniffed the air.

"You're right, and they don't smell like the Mercenaries!" Lethe said before she was engulfed in an orange light and transformed into a cat while Mordecai was engulfed in a blue light and transformed into a tiger.

"**Let's go!" **Lethe said before she and Mordecai ran as fast as they could towards Gebal Castle.

Gebal Castle

Ike and the others were in front of the castle's entrance and they were completely surrounded by Daein troops.

"Haa… haa… ah… blast! Not yet… not yet… we will not fall!" Ike said before he cut a Daein soldier that was in front of him before Mist suddenly came out of the castle.

"Onii-san!" Mist said.

"Mist-imoto? You're not supposed to be out here! I told you to stay…" Ike said, but he was cut off by Mist.

"I don't care!" Mist yelled.

"Mist-imoto?" Ike said.

"There's no way we can escape! This is it, isn't it? We're all going to die here, aren't we?" Mist said.

"Don't be foolish! No matter what happens, I'm making sure you and Rolf get out of here alive! Once you're out of danger, you go straight to the palace and stay with Princess Elincia-san." Ike said.

"No! I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here with everyone! I'm staying with you!" Mist said and Ike was surprised by her determination to stay "As long as I'm with you, I'm not afraid to die. We'll see ka-chan and tou-san. We'll all be together again. So, please… stop telling me to leave you. I can't. I can't leave any of you again. All right?"

"All right. Don't leave my side." Ike said.

"Thank you, onii-san." Mist said.

"But one thing… you're not going to see ka-chan just yet." Ike said.

"What?" Mist asked.

"I'm going to protect you. I'm not going to let you die. I gave tou-san my word." Ike said.

"Ike-onii-san…" Mist said.

Kamura then approached them and Mia swung her sword at him, but it didn't even leave a mark in his armor as he pushed her away with his spear.

"… Haa… haa…" Ike panted as he looked at him.

"You took on the Daein army with meager numbers, and you've fought well. My compliments. However, it ends now. Prepare to die!" Kamura said before they could suddenly here the screams of several Daeins "What was that? What happened?"

Suddenly Lethe came running from the north while Mordecai came from the south and they easily cut through any Daein soldier that was in their way.

"Cursed Gallian beasts… there are only two of them! How could they have brought my army to its knees? How… how are they so strong?" Kamura said.

"Is that why people fear the Laguz?" Ike asked before Lethe suddenly threw some kind of orange stone over to Naruto.

"**Pick that up and use it, even if you don't know how to transform that Laguz stone should still transform you!" **Lethe yelled and Naruto picked up the stone.

"How do I use it?" Naruto asked.

"**Hold it above your head and yell "transform"!" **Lethe yelled before Naruto held it above his head as Kamura thought back to something that General Petrine-sama had told him.

"We don't know if those wretched beasts has taught that sub-human amongst the mercenaries how to transform yet. But if they have, you must make sure that he dies before he can transform! Do you understand?"

"No, I won't let him!" Kamura said before he ran towards the blond Laguz, but it was already too late.

"Transform." Naruto yelled and he was suddenly engulfed by a yellow light.

Naruto's mindscape

Kyubi looked down on a small yellow fox that was lying unconscious in front of him.

"**It's time for you to finally wake up, and show the world that the power of a Fox Laguz even surpasses a Lion!" **Kyubi said and the small fox was engulfed in a yellow light and when the light faded, the fox's body had been replaced by Naruto's.

Gebal Castle

As the light faded, Naruto let out a powerful roar which created a shockwave that sent Kamura skidding backwards and everyone looked at Naruto's new form.

He was slightly bigger than Mordecai, had yellow fur with a white tip on the tail, cerulean-blue slitted eyes, a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and equally sharp claws on all four feet. He still had his Konoha Hitai-ate, but instead of on the forehead, it was now wrapped around his neck.

"You think that your transformed state scares me?" Kamura said before he threw his spear towards Naruto, but the fox dodged it before he caught it with his tail and he ran towards Kamura.

As he approached the enemy general, he jumped onto the enemy general who then fell down on the ground as Naruto was standing on top of him. Kamura noticed a lance that was lying not far away from him and he tried to reach for it, but Naruto noticed it and used his tail to stab the spear through Kamura's arm and afterwards he cut his claws clean through Kamura's armor and into the general's chest.

"Urgh… aaa… glory to… to… Daein…" Kamura said before he died and the three Laguz then reverted back to their normal forms before everyone went inside.

"So, uh… are you two from the palace? Did the king of Gallia send you?" Ike asked.

"He did. I am Mordecai, warrior of Gallia. Your hair is blue. You are Ike. Is this correct?" Mordecai said.

"That's right, I'm Ike. You saved us back there. Thank you." Ike said.

"Ranulf-taichou told me Ike-san is not a bad stranger. Mordecai and Ike-san… we will become friends." Mordecai said.

"You don't know that. You don't know if we can trust him. It's too soon to tell. He's a Beorc. A _human_. You know all humans have two faces." Lethe said.

"Lethe-san!" Mordecai said.

"Beorc? What's that?" Ike asked.

"That's what you are. We with power are Laguz. You soft, hairless things with no power at all, you are called Beorc." Lethe said.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, I've met many Beorc who could easily go toe-to-toe with a Laguz!" Naruto said.

"Oh, yeah? Like who?" Lethe asked.

"Take Tsunade-ba-chan for example, she's a Beorc and she's got the strength to knock back most opponents with a flick of finger!" Naruto said, surprising everyone else in the room but Sakura. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Actually, she's a Branded, but Naruto doesn't know that. If you want to know where her Laguz blood comes from then go back two generations.)**

"Lethe-san! The King forbids us to talk about Beorc like that!" Mordecai said.

"Most Beorc call us by hated names, look at us with eyes filled with scorn. "sub-human"? hss! Is that how Beorc treat their friends? Is that how they treat their allies?" Lethe said.

"You're right… some of us use that name far too readily. I guess if we had thought about it, we'd have realized it's not a polite term, but we didn't know you by any other name. I'm sorry." Ike said.

"You knew no other name for us? Are we really so little to you, _human_? You, who forced us into slavery? How easily you forget. But we Laguz! We remember. We remember how we have suffered at your hands. The king can say whatever he likes, I will not trust you. I warn you now… never speak to me in such a way!" Lethe said.

"Lethe-san…" Mordecai said.

"What's your point? Did you come all this way to complain to us? ha ha… typical sub-humans." Soren said.

"Scum! Those who use that name are enemies of Gallia!" Lethe said.

"Grrr, grraa, sub-human… enemy… he is enemy…" Mordecai growled.

"You think you're humans? The only human about you is your conceit! You filthy, hairy sub-human!" Soren said before Mordecai transformed.

"Mordecai-san! Kill him!" Lethe said before Mordecai charged at Soren, but Ike then jumped in his way and was sent skidding backwards by Mordecai who then stopped his charge.

"Ike-san!" Soren said surprised.

"Ow…" Ike grunted in pain.

"What?" Lethe said.

"I-Ike-san…" Mordecai said as he reverted back to his humanoid form "… Ike-san, I'm sorry… I have hurt you… I did not intend to hurt you."

"Mordecai-san, this injury is nothing. I'm fine." Ike said.

"You're nothing but a beast." Soren said before he ran past Ike and charged up his wind magic.

"Soren-san! Stand down!" Ike ordered and Soren stopped.

"Why did you stop me? He hurt you! He could have killed you! We can't let him get away…" Soren said, but Ike cut him off.

"If you hadn't provoked him, none of this would have happened. Right?" Ike said.

"But… I only… I'm sorry…" Soren said.

"Mordecai-san, Lethe-san, I apologize on behalf of my company. Please forgive Soren-san. It's a poor excuse, but we recently lost… some companions. We're tired, and we're not thinking clearly." Ike said.

"Ike-san forgave Mordecai. So now I forgive Soren-san. No one needs to be angry." Mordecai said.

"I apologize as well. My behavior has been unkind. I forgot our mission, and I have blundered terribly." Lethe said.

"Mission?" Ike asked.

"The king wants to see you. We are here to guide you to the royal palace." Lethe said.

Chapter preview

Titania "This place brings back such memories. It hasn't changed in the slightest."

Mordecai "That smell on the wind… it's iron. It is the smell of weapons. The smell of Beorc. Heavily armored. Well-armed."

Kotaff "Ha. They're trapped! Call every man. Ready for battle! We stop the enemy here!"

Marcia "Let's see now… where are they? Aha. I've found them!"

Ike "Enough. You two go back."

Mist "No! We don't want to! All Rolf-kun and I do is sit and wait and worry about all of you. We're tired of waiting! We want to fight by your side!"

Naruto "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Gallia."

Character status

Naruto: Class: Genin.

Level: 16

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Ike: class: Ranger.

Level: 13

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 13

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Boyd: Class: Fighter.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe, hand axe.

Race: Beorc.

Oscar: Class: Lance knight.

Level: 12

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Rhys: Class: Priest.

Level: 8

Techniques: Heal.

Weapons: heal staff, mend staff.

Race: Beorc.

Soren: Class: Mage.

Level: 8

Techniques: Wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome.

Race: Branded.

Mia: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 8

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron sword.

Race: Beorc

Sakura: Class: Genin.

Level: 3

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Beorc.

Aran: Class: Soldier.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Ilyana: Class: Mage.

Level: 7

Techniques: Thunder, El-Thunder.

Weapons: Thunder tome.

Race: Branded.

Lethe: Class: Cat.

Level: 3

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Cat Laguz

Mordecai: Class: Tiger.

Level: 2

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Tiger Laguz.

Greil: Class: Hero.

Level: 10

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Urvan.

Race: Beorc.

Black Knight: Class: Black knight.

Level: 20

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Ragnell, Alondite.

Race: unknown

**Kurama no Kyubi: **I hope you liked it, and if you're wondering when Naruto woke up… it's a secret.

**Ike: **I didn't know Ilyana was a Branded.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Well, according to the Wiki she's either a Laguz or a Branded, and since she doesn't have a tail, wings or pointy ears I figured that she must be a Branded.


	9. Gallia

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Gallia arc**

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Hello everyone, I've got some good news for you all… or rather it depends on how you look at it, for some of you might see it as bad news. I will no longer concentrate on a different story each week. From now on, I'll be concentrating on the same story until I'm done with the arc that I'm currently working on. But however if there's an arc that takes more than a month to write then I'll move on to the next story as soon as the month is over.

**Naruto: **There are currently at least two stories he's writing were there's arcs that'll be that long, Tales of Shippuden and Naruto: The Legend of Aang… maybe Dragon Ball Shippuden too.

**Ike: **Enough of that, let's go over to the reviews.

**kalakauai:** Interesting... So Naruto can transform, hey... is he going to work on that more than the Rasengan? You also said something at a couple chapters back, If no one from Konoha is coming. Who else is... or are you not thinking of it period?

**Lethe: **No, he can't transform yet! He was only able to do it thanks to the Laguz stone! But Ranulf-taichou will probably teach him once we get to the palace!

**Naruto: **Actually, I was thinking of trying out the Rasengan while in my transformed state… though I guess I'll have to learn how to create a Rasengan with only one hand first, since it's nearly impossible to make hand signs in my transformed state!

**Kurama no Kyubi: **don't worry, there will be others from Naruto showing up, two at the end of the Gallia arc and another four – including an OC of mine – at the beginning of the Daein arc! I won't tell you who they are though.

**Izanagi:** Cool chapter all around I'm still voting for Sanaki though Sasuke can have whoever he wants and Sakura should just be in Sasuke's harem.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **The vote's noted. And actually I really only put Sakura in Naruto's and Sasuke's polls as a joke due to Naruto's crush on her and her crush on Sasuke, but I'm not planning on having her paired with either of them… PERIOD.

**Izanagi: **Just wondering have you thought of having Kakashi paired with Titania? Figure they would be good for each other since they've both experience war and tragedy in the past.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Good idea, I haven't really thought much about pairing any one from the older generations with anyone. Other than Leanne, Ena, Micaiah and Kurthnaga, if they count.

**Izanagi: **Oh one thing maybe just keep the Japenese on Naruto characters while everyone else uses English.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Now why would I do that, both Naruto and Fire Emblem were made in Japan, so I see no reason to.

**Mzr90:** Cool chapter I'm looking forward to how you have Naruto used in the support conversation with his potential love intrest/friends.

**Naruto: **What do you mean with "potential love interest"? (looks angrily at Kurama no Kyubi)

**Mzr90: **I wonder how Naruto's time in Gallia will go if he's already got Lethe's focus maybe his power could potentially drive the female Laguz in heat.

**Sasuke: **Well, that's something to look forward to! He always did want to be popular. Just too bad that I won't be there to see it! (sighs while imagining Naruto getting chased by hundreds of female beast-tribe Laguz… for some reason even Lethe and Lyre are among them even though Sasuke's never met either of them)

**Mzr90: **One thing I'm intrested in is how the harem will work since theirs Lethe's attitude towards humans but once she gets past it I can see her suggest it to the others claiming a strong Laguz like him needs more mates.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Good idea, I'll keep that in mind! But I don't really see Sanaki sharing him with anyone… Mia might be a possibility though.

**Mzr90: **Anyway still voting for Sanaki and looking forward to the next chapter.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **And that's 6 votes for Sanaki, putting her just next to Sakura… if you don't count the votes from Sakura's poll that is!

**Ike: **Now on with the story.

"Fire Emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire Emblem.' _Normal thought

"**Fire Emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire Emblem.' **_**Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Naruto: **Kurama no Kyubi doesn't own anything.

Chapter 8: Gallia

Ike was in the entrance hall of Gebal Castle, looking out the window when Soren walked up to him.

"Good morning, Ike-san. May I have a moment of your time?" Soren asked and Ike turned to look at him.

"What is it? I'm listening." Ike said.

"Our expenses, our ability to fight, the current status of our troops. These are all things that you must know." Soren said.

"I see. Having a gasp of that is part of the commander's job, too, right? Understood. Let me hear it." Ike said.

"Very well." Soren said as he held up a report and gave it to Ike.

Report

Earned: 0 G

Spent: 0 G

Current: 7500 G

Combat Exp: 1216 P

Bonus Exp: 0 P

MVP: Naruto

New Ally: Ilyana

Fallen: none

Report end

"… That's it." Soren said.

"I think I've got most of it." Ike said

"I'll give you a report before each battle. I hope that it helps." Soren said.

"I'm sure it will. Thank you. I'm relying on you for all the details. Keep up the good work." Ike said.

"Thank you, commander. I will do my best. But if I have your leave, I must be going." Soren said as Naruto and Boyd walked past them and Naruto noticed the report.

"Hey, teme. What are you? His secretary?" Naruto said and he and Boyd laughed as they walked outside.

Support conversations

Ike/Soren – support C **(Kurama no Kyubi: Forgot to add the support rankings in the previous chapter!)**

"So that's how much we spent… supplies are running low. We need dried meat, fresh fruit…" Soren said, but then he noticed that Ike-san wasn't paying any attention "… Ike-san? Are you listening?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I wasn't paying attention." Ike said.

"I would have never guessed." Soren said.

"Sorry, Soren-san. Look, could you run the report by me again?" Ike said.

"You're tired, Ike-san. You need rest. Go find a cot somewhere." Soren said.

"You can tell?" Ike asked.

"Of course. When you're not feeling well, your left eye twitches." Soren said.

"That's… odd. I never noticed." Ike said.

"Get some sleep. I can manage things for a few hours." Soren said.

"Well, I am pretty beat…" Ike said.

"Go." Soren said.

"You know, Soren-san? You're not nearly as insensitive as the others say. Deep down, you're a big softie." Ike said.

"Excuse me?" Soren said.

"Oh, nothing. I'm going." Ike said before he left.

"Mmm. Don't let bed-bugs bite." Soren said.

Titania/Rhys – support C

"How are you feeling, Rhys-san?" Titania asked as she approached the healer.

"Good. No fevers or shaking today! Thanks for asking." Rhys said.

"You know, I was just thinking about the time we first met. It was almost a year ago to this very day." Titania said.

"Was it really…? Oh, you're right! My, time does fly." Rhys said.

"Of course, I don't remember much of the initial encounter, since I was unconscious and bleeding! Ha! Remember that? I don't know why we didn't bring a healer with us that day… fighting bandits without a staff? Not smart!" Titania said. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Wow, Titania, TITANIA, wounded by a bandit… must've been some badass bandits. I mean, that's like Chuck Norris getting hurt by a Super-Nova.)**

"It was lucky that I found you. I didn't usually venture that deep into the forest, but I was short on medicinal herbs." Rhys said.

"Yeah, those bandits were a rough lot… their stomping ground was near your village, actually. It's all coming back to me now… they were tougher than I'd thought. We took most of them out with ease, but one fled into the woods and I gave chase. Big mistake. My horse got hung up in the undergrowth, and that bandit got the drop of me… at least Shinon-san hit him before I was killed." Titania said.

"Gatrie-san and Shinon-san were both really worried when they brought you back to my parents' house." Rhys said. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Okay, you lost me at Shinon.)**

"Really? I didn't know that. Hmm… I didn't think Shinon-san ever worried about anyone… but they stayed with me until my wounds were healed, I remember that. You know, if it wasn't for your good work, I wouldn't have been able to use an axe anymore! I really appreciate it." Titania said.

"No, I should thank you. You convinced Greil-san to hire me! And now I can send money back to my parents. They're both so old, and I'm their only source of income." Rhys said.

"Your parents were very kind. Especially your mother… and she made that great wildberry pie! To repay their kindness, I will protect their only son no matter what." Titania said.

"Oh, I appreciate that, Titania-taichou!" Rhys said.

Sakura/Aran – support C

Sakura walked over to the northern wall of the castle and she noticed that Aran-san was standing and looking out over the trees.

"Aran-san, what are you thinking about?" Sakura asked as she approached the Ex-Daein soldier.

"Oh, Sakura-san!" Aran said as he looked over his shoulder and Sakura noticed a picture in his hand.

"What's that?" Sakura asked as she stopped next to him.

"It's just a picture." Aran said and Sakura looked down on it.

"Who's that Girl? A friend of yours? Or is she something more?" Sakura asked.

"No, it's nothing like that. Her name's Laura and we've been friends since we were little!" Aran said.

"Oh, so you're worried about what she thinks of you now that you've deserted Daein?" Sakura asked.

"No, not really. I know she'd understand. She doesn't like this war any more than I do." Aran said.

"So then, what had you so worried?" Sakura asked and Aran sighed.

"It's Daein, they won't stop with just Crimea! Soon they're gonna invade this forest and attack Gallia, that would bring the Begnion Empire over on their side, and then the bird tribes of Phoenicis and Kilvas will come to Gallia's aid!" Aran said.

"But then, it'll be a war all over the continent!" Sakura said.

"Yes, and in the end it's possible that not even the great dragons of Goldoa would be able to stay neutral!" Aran said.

"Well, we can't worry about that now. We could still stop the war before it comes to that!" Sakura said.

"Maybe your right, but for that we would need Begnion on our side and they won't side with Laguz that easily!" Aran said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right!" Sakura said.

Info conversations

Soren

"What's wrong, Soren-san? Are preparations complete?" Ike asked as he approached Soren.

"Yes, everything's ready." Soren said.

"You have only a few robes and musty books. I'm taking a bit less, but it looks as though you travel light as well." Ike said.

"The burden of unnecessary items is something I detest." Soren said.

"Me too. We're alike in that, aren't we?" Ike said before he noticed that Soren had a worried look on his face "What is it? You've got that worried look again."

"Well, um… it's nothing. Never mind. … Everyone's really slow, aren't they? Shall I go and see what's taking them?" Soren said.

"Soren-san… don't worry about it. Sitting here in the morning, in the sunlight… it helps me to understand. I'm alive. I have trustworthy friends. That's how I know I can go on. I just hope I'm not… fooling myself." Ike said.

"No, you're not! You're not." Soren said.

"Well then, it's business as usual. I know we'll all have troubles, but let us set our shoulders straight and get on with it." Ike said.

"Understood." Soren said.

Mist

"Ah, Ike-onii-san… good morning." Mist said as she approached Ike.

"Mm. Morning. … Are you all right?" Ike said.

"If I said I were, I'd be lying. But I'm doing my best. Yesterday, I was so confused. Then, I awoke this morning and saw the blue sky, felt the sun on my face… and I thought, "I'm alive". The sunlight was so warm. I mean, it's always warm, but… for some reason, it made me want to cry." Mist said.

"Oh, Mist-imoto…" Ike said.

"It's up to us. We must live the fullest lives we can. We have to live for ka-chan and for tou-san. We mustn't dishonor their memory. So… um… I may think about them, and I may cry every now and then, but I'll carry on!" Mist said.

"You're right… everything you said is right. We will carry on together." Ike said.

"Right! Oh. Sorry, I have to hurry and get ready! I'll see you later, onii-san!" Mist said before running off.

"Yes, look at the time! Get a move on, will you?" Ike said.

Oscar

"Hey, good morning, Ike-san. How're you feeling today? Yesterday's battle was a rough one, wasn't it?" Oscar said as he approached Ike.

"Hi, Oscar-san. Yeah, I'm sore all over. Every muscle in my body hurts. Hopefully, I'll feel better after I move around for a while." Ike said.

"I hope for the same. When I woke up, it was all I could do to get out of bed. We're truly lucky to be alive. If those two beast fighters hadn't arrived when they did, we might have all been wiped out." Oscar said.

"… Yeah…" Ike said.

"Ike-san, I can't say I know what you're going through or how you feel. But you should try to remember all that happened last night. The men we fought were professionals. Well trained and under the command of a cunning tactician… but not invincible." Oscar said.

"… You're saying they follow certain rules? Specific patterns? Yes, I see. If I can learn what they are, they become vulnerable. The next time we meet, we won't lose." Ike said.

"Har!" Oscar said.

"What?" Ike asked.

"For an instance there, looking at you was like looking at Commander Greil-san." Oscar said.

"I'm his son. I'm supposed to look like him, aren't I?" Ike said.

"It wasn't like that. And it wasn't an aura or a hunch or anything like that. I don't know what to call it. It was more like the core of your character… it felt the same as his." Oscar said and Ike let out a "huh" and Oscar said "Ha ha. Sorry. That must've sounded pretty stupid."

"Oscar-san?" Ike asked.

"Commander?" Oscar said.

"From now on, when I practice, would you join me? I would be more familiar with the fighting style of knights." Ike said.

"Of course! If there's anything I can do to help, you need only to ask." Oscar said.

Lethe

Naruto walked through the forest, seemingly not aware of the sly cat that was following him. Lethe hid behind a tree in case he'd turn around and when she looked to see if he turned around or not… he was gone.

"Why're you following me, Lethe-san?" Lethe froze before she turned around to face Naruto. This kid was quicker than she had thought, there were at least a hundred yards in-between them and he covered it in less than a second without making a sound.

"N-Naruto-kun… how'd you… how'd you get from there to here so fast?" She asked.

"Shunshin no jutsu! Now answer my question." Naruto said.

"I was only curious about where you were headed since we'll soon be leaving for the Gallian palace!" Lethe lied.

"You're lying!" Naruto said.

'_He could tell that?' _"Okay, I wanted to ask you something." Lethe said.

"You can ask me while we walk." Naruto said before walking off and Lethe followed him.

"Why did you use that spear in your battle with that human?" She asked.

"Because if I hadn't then I probably wouldn't have won!" Naruto said.

"What do you mean?" Lethe asked, getting curious.

"If I hadn't rammed that spear through his arm, he'd reach that lance he was trying to reach for and he could've stabbed it into me!" Naruto explained.

"I see." Lethe said.

"Was there something more?" Naruto asked.

"Well, actually… this might seem to come out of the blue, but… how old are you?" Lethe asked as she blushed.

"13, you?" Naruto said.

"18." Lethe said. **(Kurama no Kyubi: I don't know her actual age, but in this story she's 18)**

"Say, Lethe-san, why do you hate Beorc so much?" Naruto asked.

"I can't believe you're even asking that!" Lethe said.

"Well I am, I understand that Laguz and Beorc don't exactly see eye-to-eye on this side and I would like to know why!" Naruto said.

"Well… wait "on this side"?" Lethe asked.

"I'm from the other side of the Desert of Death!" Naruto said.

"Oh, I see. Well, about 600 years ago, the Beorc forced our people into slavery, it's something we Laguz will never forget!" Lethe said.

"I don't see why Laguz and Beorc can't simply live together in peace." Naruto said.

"Listen to yourself, you're a Laguz, you should know that that's impossible. Haven't you ever been prejudiced by Beorc before?" Lethe asked.

"Well, actually… I have, but not only Beorc, Laguz too! Many have even tried assassinating me before!" Naruto said.

"Wait, Laguz too?" Lethe asked and Naruto nodded.

"Yes, but I wasn't prejudiced because I was a Laguz, it was because of something else… something that I'd rather not talk about!" Naruto said and Lethe thought back to the battle inside the fort a few days ago, having an idea of what he might be referring to.

"I see. But there must at least be some bad-blood in-between the Laguz and Beorc were you're from!" Lethe said.

"Hmmm. No, not really! At least in my home village, Konohagakure the Laguz and Beorc live in peace!" Naruto said. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Wait till Zihark hears that)**

'_Laguz and Beorc living in peace? Is such a thing even possible… it seems so. Maybe I should visit his village once!'_ Lethe thought.

Mia

"Oh, Boss! Morning!" Mia said as she came out of her room and noticed Ike standing near the door outside.

"Good morning. Are you ready to go?" Ike asked.

"All set! It doesn't matter how late I go to sleep, I'm always awake before the sun rises! I can leave whenever!" Mia said.

"… Um, I'm sorry. You know, for everything's that happened. It's all so sudden." Ike said.

"Oh, it's nothing. But it's been rough on you, hasn't it?" Mia said.

"I could say the same to you. It can't be easy joining a band of wanted mercenaries and fighting every day." Ike said.

"Oh, it's not so bad…" Mia said.

"You were forced to join us by the whims of fate, not by choice. I know my father said you had a debt to repay, but he's not here anymore. If you want to leave, I won't stop you." Ike said.

"Um… er… aaaaah!" Mia said.

"Aaah! What?" Ike asked.

"Oooh! Times… times like this… I never have any idea of what I'm supposed to say. None! Uh, darn! Hold on. Yesterday… in the middle of that giant mess, you didn't give up, Boss. And I knew. That is how a true man lives! So now I have to follow you. You see?" Mia said.

"I… think so." Ike said.

"That's my story, Boss. So do me a favor and don't tell me to get lost. I'm good to have around. You'll see!" Mia said.

"If that's how you feel, I guess I understand. I'm counting on you. Don't let me down." Ike said.

"Never! I wouldn't know how!" Mia said.

Mordecai

"Ike-san. Are you prepared? Can we depart soon?" Mordecai asked as he approached Ike in the forest.

"It's taking more time than I thought. I'm sorry for making you wait." Ike said.

"I see. Then I will talk with you as we wait. Grr… my words, are they well? Can you understand them?" Mordecai said.

"Sure, no problem. I understand you." Ike said.

"That is good. Mordecai is not so good with this language." Mordecai said.

"What language do you normally use?" Ike asked.

"With others of my tribe, I need no words. I say all I must gestures and with… how do you say… growls?" Mordecai said.

"That sounds convenient." Ike said.

"Yes. But our tongue does not let us talk to other tribes. That is not good. That is why we learn these modern words." Mordecai said.

""I would think that would be enough, being able to speak with only your friends, wouldn't it?" Ike said.

"It is not. If there is danger or conflict… we can use words to avoid a fighting that need not be. So using words that many can hear is good." Mordecai said.

"Hmm… using words to avoid unnecessary fighting… that's one way to think about it." Ike said.

Gallia, near Fort Tatana

"This place brings back such memories. It hasn't changed in the slightest." Titania said after they had been walking for a while.

"Titania-taichou, have you been to Gallia before?" Ike asked.

"A long time ago… when I was still a knight of Crimea. I volunteered for a military officer exchange program and spent some time studying at Gallia's royal palace." Titania said.

"I get it now… that's why you weren't surprised when we saw the Laguz." Ike said.

"That's right. Ah, I've missed the sea. When the setting sun strikes the water, it's almost as though the horizon itself is on fire." Titania said.

"Hmm. Now that I think about it, tou-san knew where that old castle was… he sure acted like someone who'd been to Gallia before. Was he here with you?" Ike said.

"Mm-hm. And we weren't the only ones. You've been here, too, Ike-san." Titania said.

"What?" Ike said in surprise before they heard someone shout "Ike-san!"

"It's Mordecai-san. You'd better answer him." Titania said.

"Yeah, but…" Ike started, but he was cut off by Titania.

"We can finish our talk later, after we've reached the castle." she said.

"Well that was cryptic." Ike said quietly as he walked towards Mordecai "What is it, Mordecai-san?"

"Do you tire? Should we rest here?" Mordecai asked.

"No, I think we're all right." Ike said.

"Good." Mordecai said.

"Beorc are such a weak species. A distance like this is nothing. Any Laguz worth his claws could cross it in a single bound." Lethe said.

"Lethe-san!" Mordecai said.

"Hmph! It is the truth!" Lethe said.

"If you persist in this way, you will shame the king. You sound like a fool." Mordecai said.

"Hsss! You are my subordinate! Never speak to me in such a way!" Lethe said.

"What's wrong is wrong. You are a fierce warrior, Lethe, but when it comes to Beorc, you are far too stubborn." Mordecai said.

"What did you say?" Lethe yelled.

"Can you two please stop that arguing? I'm getting a headache over here!" Naruto yelled before he smelled something familiar and he got a serious look on his face.

"Naruto, what is it?" Sakura asked.

"Lethe-san, Mordecai-san. Do you two smell that?" Naruto asked and the two of them started sniffing the air and they turned towards a nearby castle.

"Yes, I smell it alright!" Lethe said.

"What is it?" Ike asked.

"That smell on the wind… it's iron. It is the smell of weapons. The smell of Beorc. Heavily armored. Well-armed." Mordecai said.

"Are you sure?" Ike asked.

"There's no mistake, the Daein army's here, this deep into Gallia!" Naruto said angrily.

A Daein soldier who was patrolling the wall of the castle then spotted the mercenary group before he ran inside and to the castle's throne room, where the General was sitting on the throne.

"General Kotaff-san! The Crimean mercenaries have entered our area of operations!" The soldier said.

"Ha. They're trapped! Call every man. Ready for battle! We stop the enemy here!" Kotaff said as he stood up and shortly after he walked out of the castle along with several soldiers.

"Black armor… they're Daein men, all right." Soren said.

"You're saying that some of the invasion force is still around?" Ike asked.

"Daein worms… they strut about the Gallian forests as though they own them. I won't stand for it!" Lethe said.

"Grrr… that castle to the south. Many Beorc are inside. They carry iron weapons. I smell them." Mordecai said.

"Not good… Titania-taichou! Gather everyone together!" Ike said.

"Ha! Understood!" Titania said before she went to do as she was ordered.

"What now?" Lethe asked.

"What do you mean?" Ike asked.

"If you hope to crush the worms, you'd do well to capture the ruins in the south. Since you probably want to flee, there is an escape route…" Lethe said, but she was cut off by Ike.

"We're going to fight." He said.

"Oh?" Lethe asked.

"There are times when running has its advantages, but I don't think we'll lose here." Ike said.

"… I see." Lethe said.

"I will also fight." Mordecai said.

"Good. We could use the help." Ike said.

"Ike-san! Everyone's here!" Titania said.

"All right, let's go!" Ike said before he looked at Muston-san and Jorge-san "I want you two to take Mist-imoto and Rolf and retreat to the rear."

"Of course." Muston said.

"We're counting on you. Be careful!" Jorge said before they left.

"Everyone who can fight, grab a weapon! Greil Mercenaries… move out!" Ike said and everyone got ready to fight.

Suddenly Mist came running and said "Ike-onii-san!"

"Mist-imoto! You and Rolf clear out of here! Stay back, no matter what!" Ike said.

"No, Ike-onii-san! We're going to fight with you, both of us." Mist said.

"What? No. that's not going to happen. Be serious Mist-imoto… the two of you can't even wield weapons." Ike said.

"I've got this!" Mist said as she took out a heal staff.

"A heal staff?" Ike asked.

"Yeah! I made Rhys-san teach me how to use it. I can heal injuries! I mean, just little ones, but still…" Mist said, but Ike cut her off.

"Little ones? No. there's no way I'm letting you on this battlefield… huh?" He said just before Rolf came, holding a bow.

"Rolf-ototou! Stop being such a brat, you little twerp!" Boyd said.

"I'm going to fight, too! I'm good with a bow!" Rolf said.

"Really? That's news to me. is that the best lie you could come up with?" Boyd said.

"It's not a lie!" Rolf argued.

"That's right! He's not lying." Mist said.

"Of course he is!" Boyd said.

"What are you talking about, Mist-imoto?" Ike asked.

"Rolf-kun's always practicing with his bow. And he's really good! Aren't you?" Mist said, looking at Rolf-kun at the last part.

"I sure am!" Rolf said.

"And when did you learn to use a bow?" Ike asked.

"Well, let's see… um… I guess I just… sorta… picked it up naturally?" Rolf said.

"Stop lying, you booger-eating brat! You can't just pick up a weapon and start firing away! Someone has to teach you the basics!" Boyd said.

"Well, maybe I'm just a prodigy, 'cause I learned it all myself!" Rolf said proudly.

"You little…" Boyd said, getting angry.

"You don't know anything, Boyd!" Mist said.

"That's right!" Rolf said.

"This is ridiculous!" Boyd said.

"Enough. You two go back." Ike said.

"No! We don't want to! All Rolf-kun and I do is sit and wait and worry about all of you. We're tired of waiting! We want to fight by your side!" Mist said.

"Hey, Ike-san! Why not just let them fight? I've trained them both in the ninja arts myself, so I know they can survive this!" Naruto said.

"Is that so?" Ike asked and Naruto nodded "Very well then, Mist-imoto, Rolf! You two may participate in the battle!"

"Ike, are you sure?" Boyd asked and Ike nodded.

"Yes, Boyd! If Naruto-san has faith in their ability then I will too!" Ike said.

"I don't think transforming into someone will help them much." Boyd said.

"Ah, you never know, Boyd-san!" Naruto said.

"Well then. As I said before, Greil Mercenaries… move out!" Ike said.

"There are some enemies down on the beach, if we charge at the ruins, they could very easily surround us!" Soren said.

"I see. Boyd, Sakura-san, Ilyana-san, Mist-imoto. You three head down to the beach! The rest of us will go for the ruins to the south!" Ike said.

Then Ike, Naruto, Titania, Soren, Oscar, Mia, Aran, Rhys and Rolf moved south-west towards the castle while Boyd, Sakura, Ilyana and Mist moved north-west towards the beach.

Ike charged at a Daein soldier that was charging at him and he blocked the Daein's sword with his own before Mia came and cut the Daein from behind.

Naruto ran towards a Daein with one kunai in each hand and he stabbed one kunai into the Daein before throwing the second one at a nearby archer.

An enemy Mage then charged up for a Thunder spell and fired a thunder bolt at Rolf, hitting him, but said Archer just turned into a log.

"Hey, what happened? Where'd he go?" The Mage asked in surprise before he was suddenly hit in the neck by an arrow that came from a nearby tree and Rolf jumped down from said tree.

Titania and Oscar rode towards a pair of Daein Knights and Titania cut through the armor of one of them before Oscar followed up by stabbing him with his lance.

The second Knight then tried attacking them, but Soren sent a powerful gust of wind at him, temporarily stopping his movements as Aran came towards him and stabbed his lance through the Daein's neck.

"By the way…" Lethe suddenly said.

"What is it?" Ike asked.

"If there is some special task you would ask us, we are willing to listen." Lethe said.

"What are you talking about?" Ike asked.

"Bah! Open your ears! If you wish, we shall… follow your orders. Hssss! But you must direct us." Lethe said.

"Really? You're willing to take orders from me?" Ike asked.

"This is a Beorc fight. If you don't direct us, then we have no reason for being here. So spoke our king." Lethe said.

"But last night, you…" Ike started, but Lethe quickly cut him off.

"THAT… that was an… emergency." Lethe said.

"We thought you were in danger." Mordecai said.

"You thought correctly. We were in danger. I thank you. We were greatly aided by your arrival." Ike said.

"You are welcome." Mordecai said while Lethe only let out a "Hmm." And Mordecai continued "Very well. Let us fight together. If you choose not to direct us. We shall do as we please. Do you find this acceptable?"

"Of course. Well then, good fortune to us all." Ike said.

Beach

Boyd blocked an enemy Fighter's axe with his own as Ilyana charged her Thunder magic and a thunder bolt came down from the sky and hit the Daein.

A Daein Mage then fired a thunder bolt at them, but they quickly dodged it before Sakura came up in front of the Daein and stuck her kunai into him. When the Daein were dead Sakura picked up his tome, being a little curious about those books.

She was able to read the ancient language that was in the tome due to having learned it from Rafiel-san. A Daein Fighter came towards her with his steel axe at the ready, but she quickly went through a simply incantation in the book and a thunder bolt came down and hit the Daein.

"I think I'll keep this book." She said to herself.

Forest road

"Rolf-ototou!" Oscar said as he rode over to his youngest brother.

"I'm… I'm sorry!" Rolf apologized.

"Huh? Why are you apologizing?" Oscar asked.

"What? But… aren't you here to yell at me?" Rolf asked.

"Why? Did you do something to make me mad?" Oscar asked.

"I thought maybe my whole decision to fight and stuff… I made that on my own. I thought that it might upset you." Rolf said.

"I won't complain about the commander's decisions." Oscar said.

"So, you're all right with it?" Rolf asked.

"I suppose. But I want you to stay close, so I can watch out for you." Oscar said.

"Got it!" Rolf said.

"Wait! There is one thing. When did you learn to use a bow?" Oscar asked.

"Um, it's a secret!" Rolf said before running of.

"That's no answer. Rolf-ototou! Blast! I told you to stay close!" Oscar said before riding after his brother.

A Daein Myrmidon suddenly came towards Rolf and attempted to stab the kid, but Oscar made it just in time and blocked the sword with his lance.

"I told you to stay close!" Oscar said.

"S-sorry!" Rolf said before he got an arrow and fired it at the Daein.

Suddenly came the Pegasus Knight, Marcia from the north-east.

"Let's see now… where are they? Aha. I've found them!" She said as she spotted the mercenaries in the distance as some Daein reinforcements came out of the castle.

Beach

Boyd charged at a pirate who was carrying a venin axe and he quickly struck him down with his own axe before he noticed two other pirates that came from the sea.

"Yar har ho!" The leader of the two, Nedata laughed.

"Yo ho har!" The other one laughed.

"Scallywags of the sea are we!" Nedata said.

"We fight like beasts, an' men do flee!" The other one said.

"We earn our gold with axes bold… yar! Ye scurvy bilge rat! Why aren't ya singin'?" Nedata said.

"Har! Over there, Nedata! Fix yer eyes on that. Do ye see what I sees?" The other one said.

"Oh ho ho! What's this, then? Humans battling humans here in Gallia? What in the briny beard of Shanty Pete is going on?" Nedata asked.

"Oy! Do ya think they may be the king's curs out to capture us and claim the bounty?" The other one asked.

"Gahar har har!" Nedata laughed.

Shall we unfurl the mainsail and steer for calmer waters?" The other one asked.

"Bite yer tongue, ye kelp-brained idjit! We're pirates! We don't turn tail from government scum! I'm goin' ashore! Watch me, and you'll see a true sea-dog in action." Nedata said.

"Yar, well said! You've set me blood aboil! I'm with ye all the way, matey!" The other one said.

"Aarrr! Let's see what we can see then!" Nedata said.

"Yar! Me axe is sharp and me spirit is bold!" The other one said before they both laughed that weird pirate laugh and started walking towards the beach.

Outside Fort Tatana

Ike and Mia charged at two Daeins and Ike cut down one of them with little effort while Mia cut down the other one. Afterwards came Aran and Rolf, Aran stabbed a Daein soldier with his lance and Rolf fired an arrow at another Daein.

Then Soren came and faced two Daein Mages, one using Fire spells and the other using Wind spells. Soren blew up a powerful gust towards both of them and they countered with wind and fire, respectively. But in the end Soren proved to be too much for them and they both were killed.

Ike then charged at Kotaff who was standing just in front of the castle's gates. Ike swung his sword at him, but he blocked it with his own knight killer and pushed off, so hard that Ike skidded backwards.

"So, you are the new commander… tell me, boy, what cowardly tactics did you employ to fell our brothers? You must have deceived them. There's no way rabble like you could defeat Daein troops in a fair fight." Kotaff said.

"From the very beginning, every last one of you has underestimated us. Will you never learn? Your refusal to recognize our strength will forever keep victory at arm's length." Ike said.

"Silence! Silence, you idiot child!" Kotaff said.

"You're right. No more talk." Ike said before he charged at Kotaff.

Beach

Boyd ran towards a Mage, but said Mage sent a thunder bolt down towards him. However, just then another thunder bolt came down and hit the first one and lightning shot out in all directions from the clash.

Boyd looked over his shoulder to see Ilyana standing behind him, and suddenly came three shuriken flying past him and all three hit the enemy Mage.

"You should be more careful, Boyd-san!" Sakura said as she walked towards him.

"Yeah, yeah." Boyd said uninterested as he waved it off before he noticed a couple of houses "Hey, think we should warn them about the Daeins?"

"Yeah, I'll take that house and you'll take the other!" Sakura said as she pointed to each of the two houses respectively and they walked towards them.

Boyd knocked on the door to the southern house and the one who opened it was a female Cat Laguz.

"Eeeek! Hu-hu-humans! Yaaaaah!" She screamed before she suddenly fell down on the floor and played dead.

"Um…" Boyd said, wondering what the hell just happened.

"Urk! Urk! Ahh… oh, come on! You are so rude! If you can't tell, I'm playing dead. So go away!" She said as she sat up and continued talking "Huh? Why? Because my mother told me, "if you ever meet a Beorc, play dead, and it will leave you be." It's not true, is it? Hsss! I knew it wasn't true! I knew it!" She then grabbed a staff and gave it to Boyd "Well then, take this, and get out of here! Quickly! I HATE humans! I don't want to talk to you! Hsss! SHOO!" She then slammed the door shut in Boyd's face.

Meanwhile, Sakura knocked on the door to the northern house and this time, a male Cat Laguz opened the door.

"You're from Crimea, aren't you? I'm a warrior of the beast tribe. Ranulf-senpai spoke of you. Doubtless you have noticed that Fort Tatana has been taken by Daein forces. Watch your step around that bunch. There's a dangerous Mage with them. We of the beast tribe find magic, and especially Fire magic, particularly threatening. I am waiting for friends and cannot take leave of this house, but… I would give you this. If you use it, your magical resistance will increase. It will help you fight that Mage. Take care." The Laguz said as he gave a talisman to Sakura.

"Thank you!" Sakura said before she left and the Laguz closed the door.

Nedata and the other Pirate then reached the beach and Ilyana quickly sent a thunder bolt at them, but they dodged it by jumping in two opposite directions.

Sakura then attacked one of them by throwing a shuriken at him, but he blocked it with his axe before charging at her. However she then went through a series of hand signs.

"Bunshin no jutsu." She said and two other Sakura's appeared, one on each side of her and the pirate stopped his charge.

"What the…? Me think me see triple!" He said before the three Sakuras ran towards him with their kunais ready. The pirate swung his axe at the one to the left, but it just went straight through as the Bunshin vanished and the other two reached him as the second Bunshin also vanished. The real Sakura however managed to stab the pirate in his stomach.

Meanwhile, Nedata was facing Boyd.

"Scallywags of the sea are we! We earn our gold with axes bold!" Nedata said before he charged at the Fighter.

Boyd managed to block the enemy's axe however and he then kicked the pirate in the stomach before cutting him with his axe.

"Scallywags of the sea… are we… an end like this is quite… worthy!" Nedata said before he fell down and died.

Forest road

Naruto was rounding of the few Daein soldiers that were left in the mercenaries wake when Marcia suddenly came flying down.

"Naruto-san!" She said, catching his attention.

"You! Aren't you that…" Naruto started, but he got cut off by Marcia.

"That's right. It's me! Marcia! As promised, I'm here to pay my debt… I'm going to join your group!" She said.

"Join us? I think you'd need to talk to Ike-san about that!" Naruto said.

"Ike?" Marcia asked.

"Yes, he's the commander!" Naruto said.

"And where will I find him?" Marcia asked.

"He should be over there, facing the enemy general!" Naruto said as he pointed in the direction of Fort Tatana.

"Alright, then. I'll talk to him!" Marcia said before she flew off towards where Ike is.

Outside Fort Tatana

Ike swung his sword at Kotaff, but the enemy general once again blocked with the knight killer, however just before he was going to push Ike back, a javelin flew past him, distracting him just long enough for Ike to deal a lethal blow.

"Arrgh… urr… urg… in the name… of the empire… cleanse… my shame…" Kotaff said before he died and Ike looked up to where the javelin had come from to see Marcia.

Later

"We defeated their commander, but we still don't know what they were after." Ike said.

"It seems unlikely that they were merely pursuing Princess Elincia-sama." Titania said.

"That's right, Daein is planning on invading Gallia too!" Aran said.

"So, it's war… again." Ike said.

"If war erupts between the Beorc and Laguz, it's only a matter of time before other nations become involved. Could Daein truly mean to set the land aflame in a blaze of war? If that happens, many of our citizens will be sacrificed on the altar of their ambition." Titania said.

"We, too, need to choose which way to move, whose side to take…" Soren said, but he got cut off when Naruto suddenly punched him down on the ground.

"You're still thinking that way? Daein has already made the choice for us! They did so at our first encounter… no, they did so when they decided to invade Crimea!" Naruto yelled as Soren got back up on his feet.

"I was only trying to be logical! You may not understand, but we are Beorc, not sub… not Laguz!" Soren said.

"No, you're not a Beorc, you're a coward!" Naruto stated.

"Are you guys going to sit here and argue about a war that hasn't even started?" Lethe asked.

"Mordecai-san? Lethe-san? What do you think? Will it come to war?" Ike asked.

"Our claws are sharp. If Daein invades Gallia, we are ready for battle. If our king wills it, war will come." Lethe said.

"I like it not… war brings pain, sorrow." Mordecai said.

"This is troubling…" Ike said.

"Enough. We have lost much time. Let us make for the palace. We must reach tonight's camp before the sun sets." Lethe said.

"Is the palace still far?" Ike asked.

"On your skinny Beorc legs, it is very far. But we will do as we can." Lethe said as Sakura noticed that Naruto seemed to be thinking about something.

"Naruto, what is it?" She asked.

"Oh, I was just thinking. If Daein invades Gallia, then it won't be safe for the princess here!" Naruto said.

Castle Gallia

They finally arrived at the Gallian Palace the next day and Lethe and Mordecai took them to the throne room where Elincia was waiting.

"Ike-san! Everyone!" Elincia exclaimed.

"Princess Elincia-san." Ike said.

"I heard about… Commander Greil-san. I… I don't know what to say." Elincia said.

"Don't worry. We're all right. We're getting by… somehow." Ike said.

"… Oh, Ike-san…" Elincia said before a soldier came in.

"The king has arrived." He said before the Gallian king and a black lion entered.

"Um… hey there." Ike greeted.

"Thank you for coming to Gallia Palace. I am Caineghis, ruler of the kingdom of Gallia." Caineghis said.

"These are the Greil Mercenaries. I am Ike, their commander." Ike said.

"You have been raised well, young pup. I didn't recognize you." Caineghis said.

"What?" Ike said confused.

"When last you were here, you were still a small child." Titania said.

"Is that you, Titania-san? It's good to see you." Caineghis said.

"The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty." Titania said.

"The two of you are friends? How… how does the king know me?" Ike asked.

"Mm. I have something I must tell you about your father, Greil-san…" Caineghis said before looking at Lethe and Mordecai "Lethe. Mordecai. Leave us now. Prepare rooms, so our guests may have a place to rest and heal their wounds."

"At once, my lord!" Lethe said before she and Mordecai left.

"Would it be best if I were to leave as well?" Elincia asked.

"No, Princess. I would have you stay. And this one also will stay" Caineghis said as he gestured to the black lion before continuing "This is Giffca, my shadow. Pay him no more heed than you would the air."

"Understood. I would have Titania-taichou and Soren-san stay with me, as well." Ike said.

"Me?" Soren asked.

"So be it. Also the fox'll stay as well. Now then, where to begin?" Caineghis said and everyone else left the room before he continued "Titania-san? How much did Greil-san tell his son?" Caineghis asked.

"Ike-san was raised with no knowledge of Gallia whatsoever, nor did he recall ever having been here." Titania said.

"Is that so? Then it is best for me to tell him all that I know." Caineghis began before continuing "… Although that is not much."

"That's all right. Whatever you can tell me would be much appreciated. I want to know more of my father." Ike said.

"Hmm… you have good eyes. Honest and brave. I see your father in them. Long ago, Greil-san – your father – worked as a mercenary for Gallia. We forged a strong bond, he and I. to speak truly, I still do not trust the Beorc. But your father was different. Princess Elincia-dono's father, King Ramon-dono, and his brother, Renning-dono, are also of a different kind. All are – or were – exceptional men. Men in whom one could put his trust. Oh ho. Titania-san! You are an exception as well! Among Beorc females, you are unique." Caineghis said.

"You are most gracious, Your Majesty." Titania said.

"Tou-san was a mercenary for Gallia…?" Ike asked.

"Correct. And you and your sister? You were both born here in Gallia. You stayed only for a short time, but part of your childhood was spent within these borders." Caineghis said.

"Mist-imoto and I were born here? Is that so? I don't remember any of this at all." Ike said.

"I feel your parents were carrying a dark secret. Someone was hunting them, I'm sure of it. once, over ten years ago… and after your mother had been slain… your father chose to leave Gallia. Before he left, I went to him and asked him to share his tale. I asked him, "Why are you being chased? Is there anything I can do to help?" But I was unable to loosen his tongue. And then I heard he had returned to Gallia, and I thought I had another chance to hear his tale. His fate was black indeed. If I had been faster, if I had hastened my steps, perhaps things would be different." Caineghis said.

"Wait! Now I understand. The voice I heard… that was you, wasn't it?" Ike said.

"His wound was fatal. I could do nothing. I thought it best not to interfere in his final moments, so I remained hidden. Tell me, Ike-san… at his last, did he confess anything to you? The identity of the Black Knight... did he reveal it?" Caineghis said.

"The Black Knight? No. I don't know who he was. Tou-san entrusted me with his command, told me to trust King Caineghis-san and to live peacefully in Gallia. He said to forget everything else." Ike said.

"Is that so? Well then, let me do as I can. If any of your mercenaries desire to live here, I will so arrange it. I will vouchsafe them homes and land." Caineghis said.

"Your kindness is truly appreciated. But, speaking for myself, I couldn't live here in peace. Not now. I will avenge my father. I cannot so quickly forget the past… or the Black Knight." Ike said.

"But, Ike-san! That's not…" Titania started, but Ike cut her off.

"I know. I'm not… I'm not strong enough. An opponent who could defeat my father is well beyond my reach… but that's why I've devoted myself to growing stronger. I will lead tou-san's mercenaries and prepare for the day when my chance for revenge arrives." Ike said.

"A prudent course of action. You look as one who would be more impulsive, but you are Greil-san's son after all." Caineghis said.

"Ha! You've matured, Ike-san. It seems like yesterday that you were merely a child." Titania said.

"Titania-taichou…" Ike said.

"And now, I would ask a boon of you. The strength of your mercenary band, Ike-san, would you lend it to Princess Elincia-dono?" Caineghis asked.

"Are you serious?" Ike asked.

"King Caineghis-sama!" Elincia said.

"Gallia and Crimea are allied nations, that cannot be denied. However, this alliance in reality binds only the royal families. It is not respect by our citizenry." Caineghis said.

"The people of Gallia are seldom seen in Crimea, are they? Even though our nations are friends, the people of Crimea have little real understanding of the Laguz. Many of our people still use that undignified name "sub-human" when they speak of the Laguz…" Titania said.

"… My father's heart was filled with shame and sorrow over what you describe. More than any king in our history, he wanted to deepen relations between our people, and then…" Elincia said.

"Perhaps that is why Daein targeted him, their hatred for the Laguz is well known." Caineghis said.

"Could it be…?" Ike asked.

"In my heart of hearts, I would like to take guardianship of Princess Elincia-dono and assist in the rebuilding of Crimea. However, anti-Beorc sentiment is running high in Gallia. If we were to offer safe harbor to Elincia-dono, I feel many of our elder statesmen would protest. They would say that we are giving Daein an ideal excuse to attack." Caineghis said.

"Which means Gallia can't offer Princess Elincia-san any relief at all… is that it?" Ike said.

"Unfortunately, it is true." Caineghis said.

"Then what about Konoha? It's on the other side of the Desert of Death, Daein can't reach her there!" Naruto said, but Caineghis shook his head.

"You just answered your own question! Konoha lies – as you said – on the other side of the Desert of Death, said desert being too harsh for most Beorc and even many Laguz to survive for long!" Caineghis said.

"Besides, it's on the other side of Daein, so we'd have to cross a country where most – if not everyone – wants us dead!" Titania said.

"Ike-san, King Caineghis-sama has advised me to turn to the Begnion Theocracy for aid in Crimea's restoration. He says we should make of Begnion a formal request and gain the support of their shields." Elincia said.

"Passage to Begnion will require several months at sea. An escort will be necessary…" Titania said.

"As you know, we lack the numbers to serve as a complete mercenary army. So, if the princess were willing to hire us as an escort, it would be an offer beyond our expectations." Ike said before looking at Titania, Soren and Naruto "Titania-taichou! Soren-san! Naruto-san! I think perhaps we should accept the king's offer. What do you say?"

"It's what you want, right, commander? Well then, it's our job to follow you." Titania said.

"However you wish to proceed is fine. I will do all in my power to ensure that our road leads to success." Soren said.

"Did you even have to ask?" Naruto said.

"Understood. As of now, the Greil Mercenaries shall assume the honor of serving as escort to the princess of Crimea." Ike said before looking at Elincia "Princess Elincia-san, our journey together will undoubtedly be a long one. May we serve you well."

"Oh, thank you very much! I only pray that I, in turn, may be worthy of your service!" Elincia said before Caineghis looked at Naruto.

"You're name's Uzumaki Naruto-san, right?" Caineghis asked and Naruto nodded.

"Yes, but how did you know?" He asked.

"You remind me of your father!" Caineghis said and everyone but him, Giffca and Titania were shocked.

"Y-you knew my father?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, like you, he too – along with his three students – once came to Tellius, though by different means than you!" Caineghis said.

"Yes, now that you mention it, Naruto-san does bear a lot of resemblance to Minato-san, doesn't he?" Titania said.

"You knew him too, Titania-san?" Naruto asked and she nodded.

"Yes, and Greil-san too!" She said.

"So, what was my father like? Who were his students?" Naruto asked.

"Your father's name was Namikaze Minato, but he was also known as Konoha's Yellow Flash!" Caineghis said, shocking Naruto.

"T-the Yellow… Flash? But he's the one who became Yondaime Hokage…" Naruto said.

"So he became the Yondaime after all, he told me that that was his dream!" Caineghis said.

"B-but… he can't be my father… he sealed the Kyubi inside of me… why would he do something like that to his own son?" Naruto said.

"Yes, I heard about that from Ranulf-san. So it was Minato-san who put it in you. From what I know of Minato-san, he wouldn't put something as horrible and as powerful as that into anyone but those he'd believe would be able to control it!" Caineghis said before continuing "As for his students, their names where, Rin-chan, Uchiha Obito-kun, and Hatake Kakashi-kun!"

"Wait, Kakashi-sensei? He was one of tou-san's students?" Naruto asked and Caineghis nodded.

"Yes, he was. Why? Do you know him?" Caineghis said.

"Yes, he's my sensei… but why hasn't he told me who my father was?" Naruto said, mostly to himself.

Chapter preview

Ranulf "If you are to find a ship that will take you to Begnion, you must return to occupied Crimea."

Volke "You are Greil-san's son, correct? You'll do. Greil-san hired me to investigate something. You pay my price, and I'll give you my report. Deal?"

Soldier "Commander Danomill-san! The castle defenses have been breached! What are your orders, sir?"

Danomill "What fortunate timing. We were starting to run low on prisoners."

Ranulf "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Prisoner release."

Naruto "Sephiran-san? What are you doing here?"

Character status

Naruto: Class: Genin.

Level: 17

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Supports: Ike, Soren, Mia, Sakura, Mist, Rolf.

Ike: class: Ranger.

Level: 15

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Oscar, Soren, Titania.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 14

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Ike, Boyd, Mist, Sakura.

Boyd: Class: Fighter.

Level: 12

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe, hand axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Titania, Mist.

Oscar: Class: Lance knight.

Level: 14

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Ike, Aran.

Rhys: Class: Priest.

Level: 8

Techniques: Heal, Restore.

Weapons: heal staff, mend staff, restore staff.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Titania, Mia, Rolf, Sakura.

Soren: Class: Mage.

Level: 9

Techniques: Wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Ike, Naruto.

Mia: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron sword.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Rhys, Sakura, Ilyana.

Sakura: Class: Genin.

Level: 5

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin, Thunder.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken, thunder tome.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Aran, Titania, Rhys, Mia, Ilyana, Mist.

Aran: Class: Soldier.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Sakura, Oscar.

Ilyana: Class: Mage.

Level: 8

Techniques: Thunder, El-Thunder.

Weapons: Thunder tome.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Mia, Sakura.

Mist: Class: Cleric.

Level: 1

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Heal.

Weapons: heal staff.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rolf, Boyd, Titania, Naruto, Sakura.

Rolf: Class: Archer.

Level: 2

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Critical hit.

Weapons: Rolf's bow.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Mist, Naruto, Marcia.

Marcia: Class: Pegasus Knight.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: javelin.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rolf.

Kotaff: Class: Halberdier.

Level: 3

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: knight killer, javelin.

Race: Beorc.

Nedata: Class: Bandit.

Level: 18

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: venin axe.

Race: Beorc.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **That's that chapter, hope you liked it.

**Lethe: **Wait a minute, why didn't I and Mordecai-san fight?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Simple, Ike never directed you to do anything, that's why.


	10. Prisoner release

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Gallia arc**

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Last chapter, I'm sure that you were all surprised about Minato's reference. Well, I hadn't planned it, it just seemed like a good idea. Besides I'm planning for Naruto to learn the Hirashin.

**Naruto: **Really? Cool!

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Anyway, on to the reviews.

**yukicrewger2:** mou, you forget to put their items on the bottom. also, there's those scrolls that give special abilities, like Luna, or that special one ike gets... what will Naruto's be?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **You're talking about those skill scroll, right? I did consider putting them there together with their techniques, but I decided against it 'cause most of them aren't really attacks, but then again neither is Bunshin (and variants), Henge (and variants) and Kawarimi (and variants). About the items, simple… their NOT weapons! But of course, if you think that I should add the items and skill scrolls then tell me in your reviews and I'll start adding them in the first chapter of the Begnion arc which actually starts in just a couple of chapters.

**Izanagi:** Nice chap Rolf got a good use of jutsu's and wonder how Obito/Tobi are involved in this.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Well that's not easy to say, but Tobi will of course be the main villain at the end.

**Izanagi: **Also were Minato and Kushina Laguz? I'm still voting for Sanaki and do you think you can put up the how many votes Naruto,Sasuke and Sakura have?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Of course they were Laguz, how would Naruto possibly be one if they weren't? also I've noted your vote and I'll let the genins in question answer how many votes they have respectively.

**Naruto: **Lethe-san: 12, Mia-san: 10, Mist-chan: 7, Sanaki-chan: 7, Sakura-chan: 6.

**Sasuke: **Leanne: 4, Ena: 4, Micaiah: 3, Sakura: 3, Jill: 1.

**Sakura: **Naruto: 3, Sasuke-kun: 1, Rolf-kun: 1, Sothe-kun: 1, Kurthnaga-san: 0.

**Izanagi: **One thing I like to see is if Konoha gets involed in the war or atleast Tsunade or Jiraiya since they could have Minato's bodyguards use Hiraishin to cross the desert.

**Tsunade: **I am the Hokage so I can't leave the village and I've already assigned Jiraiya to a very important mission that you'll find out about at the end of this arc!

**Kurama no Kyubi: **If it'll make you happy, they'll be in the sequel… which would actually be pretty obvious 'cause neither of them would of course be petrified by Ashera.

**kalakauai:** ... I'm surprised Minato's Reference was not expected. Are Naruto's parents both Laguz or he a part branded with fox aspects?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Yes both Minato and Kushina were Laguz, Minato was a fox and Kushina… you'll find that out later in the story, but for now it's a secret!

**kalakauai:** Spoilers: (Do Not Mention this to the Naruto Characters, Especially Kakashi...) What do you think of the New Naruto chapters so far? Obito!

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Sorry, but the only shop in my hometown, Bergen, that sells Manga only has up to volume 57 though volume 58 will come this September.

**kalakauai: **btw, by Concentrating on one story, what story did you mean?

**Kurama no Kyubi:** ISN'T IT OBVIOUS? Obviously since I just updated this story, I'll be concentrating on THIS story until I'm done with the Gallia arc. Though the cycle of stories are like this: Dragon Ball Shippuden, Naruto: Path of Radiance, Tales of Shippuden, Naruto: the Legend of Aang, Naruto: Rinnegan Jinchuriki, Naruto's Blue Dragon, The Legend of Naruto, Sonic and the Jinchuriki. (The last one's currently on hold)

**Mzr90:** Cool chapter wonder how Naruto will confront Kakashi over his Father and is their a chance of Jiraiya showing up I can see him use Naruto as inspiration for Icha-Icha.

**Jiraiya: **Unfortunately, Tsunade-hime has assigned me to an important mission that is not in any way related to Tellius!

**Mzr90: **I can see what you mean about Sanaki but I think she might go for it if she is the "head" wife and the others are concubines Mia might go for that since she's pretty mellow and Lethe well I can see her begrudgingly accept it as long as she's respected as a equal.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Good point.

**Naruto: **Time for the story to continue, Dattebayo!

"Fire Emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire Emblem.' _Normal thought

"**Fire Emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire Emblem.' **_**Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Ike: **Kurama no Kyubi doesn't own anything!

Chapter 9: Prisoner release

"Hey, Ike-san! I heard you're leaving. Going to Begnion, eh?" Ranulf said as he approached Ike, Naruto and Elincia.

"Hello, Ranulf-san. I was hoping I'd see you. I'd wanted to thank you for everything you've done. I'm glad to have the chance before I leave." Ike said.

"Well, aren't you the dutiful one! Hey, that reminds me… you were born here in Gallia, right? I knew there was something odd about you. You're awfully friendly for a Beorc, you know! Oh, you might not know, but a Beorc is what…" Ranulf said, but Ike cut him off.

"I know what it means. It's what you call us humans, right?" Ike said.

"Oh, knew that, did you? Well then, let me tell you something else. When we use the word "human", we mean much the way you Beorc do when you call us "sub-human"." Ranulf said.

"Really? It's an insult to be called human? I'm glad you told me. I would have never guessed." Ike said.

"I should warn you, if you run across any Laguz who call you that, be careful. They are no friend of yours." Ranulf warned.

"Got it. thanks. I won't forget." Ike said.

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about that!" Naruto said while showing off his foxy grin.

"True, but you might watch out for the female population though!" Ranulf said.

"Huh? Why…?" Naruto asked.

"Because female Laguz like men who are strong, and according to Lethe-san, you're quite strong whether you're in your humanoid form or your fox form!" Ranulf said and Naruto gulped before Ranulf continued "But I've digressed long enough. Let me explain why I'm here."

"huh?" Ike wondered.

"Princess Elincia-sama, may I have a moment of your time?" Ranulf asked.

"Y-yes. Of course." Elincia said.

"The king asked that I give you this. Please, accept it as a gift." Ranulf said as he gave her a leather pouch.

"What? May I ask…" Elincia said before Ranulf cut her off.

"Within that leather pouch is 20.000 Gold pieces. Beorc currency, of course." Ranulf said.

"Oh… I truly appreciate this generous offer, but a gift of this magnitude is not something I can accept. King Caineghis-sama has done so much more than necessary already…" Elincia said.

"The king is ashamed that he cannot – at this time – provide any personal support. Please. Will you accept his apology and acknowledge his desire to aid you?" Ranulf said.

"But…" Elincia said.

"No? Well then, let's try this…" Ranulf said getting an idea.

"Yes?" Elincia asked.

"You accept the king's gift. Then, as payment for conducting you safely to Gallia, you hand it over to Ike-san…" Ranulf said.

"Um…" Elincia said.

"Come on, Ranulf-san. You can't expect her to accept this. And it's an outrageous fee, no matter how you look at it." Ike said.

"20.000 Gold for the life of a princess? Perfectly reasonable. In fact, it almost borders on insulting! Consider how you have suffered, the lives you have lost… ten, no, a hundred times this amount would not be unreasonable." Ranulf said.

"I… I have reconsidered. I will accept the king's kindness. In turn, I will present it to Ike-san… you will accept it, will you not?" Elincia said.

"I… I will. Thank you." Ike said as he took the pouch.

"No, Ike-san. It is I who must thank you." Elincia said.

"Well, now that that's settled, let's move on. Unfortunately, we do not have any ships here in Gallia. If you are to find a ship that will take you to Begnion, you must return to occupied Crimea." Ranulf said.

"If there's no other way, then we'll just have to risk it." Ike said.

"No matter how cautiously you proceed, you're certain to run into Daein forces. Keep that in mind." Ranulf said.

"I understand. It's too bad we're so short on soldiers… still, there's not much we can do about that now. However, I will review our supplies carefully before we depart." Ike said.

"In regard to your personnel problems, the king has decided to lend you what aid he can. Lethe-san! Mordecai-san!" Ranulf said before Lethe and Mordecai appeared.

"I will join you." Mordecai said.

"Mordecai-san! And Lethe-san? Both of you? Are you sure?" Ike said.

"None of the others could stand the idea of travelling with Beorc. I myself tremble with loathing at the thought of going to Begnion, but…" Lethe said before she looked at Naruto and started blushing before she continued "When the king gives an order, obedience is the only option."

"That may be, but having witnessed the combat prowess of the Gallians for myself, I know how fortunate we are." Ike said.

"We will not fail you." Mordecai said.

"Hsss! I've no intention of becoming friends! Do not forget that… and stay out of my way!" Lethe said before she and Mordecai left.

"Ha ha! You must forgive Lethe-san. Her tongue cuts as deep as her claws do. I will return once I've reported to the king. While I'm gone, please finish your preparations for departure." Ranulf said.

"Very well." Ike said before Ranulf left in the direction of the throne room, but he stopped when he remembered something.

"Oh, and I almost forgot!" He said before turning around, walking over to Naruto and giving him two scrolls.

"What's this?" Naruto asked.

"Their scrolls left here by your father, the king wanted you to have them! One of them contains the details of the jutsu that made him famous as the Yellow Flash, Hirashin no jutsu! And the other on contains details about the…" Ranulf said, but Naruto cut him off.

"… Rasengan!" He said.

"Yes, you know it?" Ranulf asked.

"Yeah, but I haven't completely mastered it yet." Naruto said.

"Well then, maybe that scroll' help you master it! also while we're on the journey through Crimea, I would like to train you to transform into your fox form!" Ranulf said and Naruto looked up from the scrolls.

"Really?" He exclaimed.

"Yes, but now I should go and report to the king. Bye." Ranulf said before walking off.

Castle Gallia, mercenaries quarters

Ike walked into the building that the king had temporarily given them and as he came inside, Soren approached him.

"Ike-san, here's a summary of our last battle." Soren said as he gave Ike a report. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Note that most of – if not all – of the shopping takes place "off-screen" so to speak.)**

Report

Earned: 20.000 G

Spent: 2.320 G

Current: 25.180 G

Combat Exp: 1.244 P

Bonus Exp: 495 P

MVP: Naruto

New Ally: Lethe, Mordecai, Mist, Rolf, Marcia

Fallen: none

Report end

"There were no casualties, and no one suffered permanent injury. We fought excellently. That's all I have to report. If you'll excuse me." Soren said before walking away.

Support conversations

Naruto/Lethe – support C

"Rawr!" Was one of the many sounds the many female Laguz made as Naruto walked through the gardens.

"Hey, Naruto-kun!" Naruto turned around at the calling of his name to see Lethe-san walking towards him.

"Ah, hello there, Lethe-san." Naruto said as Lethe looked around.

"Hsss!" Lethe hissed at the other female Laguz and they all left.

"Thanks, I guess. I was getting tired of all those stares… not to mention all the times some of them asked me out on a date!" Naruto said.

"Naruto-kun, Laguz don't go on dates!" Lethe said.

"Oh? They don't? But I was sure that they asked me out!" Naruto said.

"They might have heard the term and tried to use it, so they'd get into…" Lethe trailed off as she started blushing.

"So they'd get into what?" Naruto asked.

"Ah, nothing. You'll probably find out when you're older!" Lethe said.

"But say, Lethe-san. Do you know how it is that I understood them? I mean, they only made those growling sounds, but I was still able to understand what they said!" Naruto said.

"That'd be because you're a Beast Laguz. Any beasts can understand it. And any beast should be able to make those growling sounds too!" Lethe said.

"Really? But when I tried it, everyone just laughed at it!" Naruto said.

"Oh, then growl now, I'd like to hear it!" Lethe said.

"Rawr." Naruto growled and Lethe suddenly started blushing.

"Well, I can see why they laughed, but don't worry. I'll teach you how to growl properly!" Lethe said.

Ike/Titania – support C

"Hey, Ike-san. Training?" Titania asked as she approached Ike.

"Yeah. You too, huh? Hey, do you want to spar? I learn a lot when we team up." Ike said.

"Really? I'm glad to hear that. I thought you no longer needed my lessons." Titania said.

"What are you talking about? You're the one who put the finishing touches on what swordsmanship I inherited from tou-san." Ike said.

"Hmm. I'm honored to hear you say so." Titania said.

"I mean it." Ike said.

"But the talent you inherited from your father is one of a kind. I want you to cherish it." Titania said.

"Huh… hey, Titania-taichou? When did you meet tou-san? You used to be a Crimean knight, right?" Ike asked.

"That's right… but it's a long story, and we need to train! Get ready! Focus!" Titania said as she got into a stance.

"Fine…" Ike said as he got into a stance of his own.

Sakura/Ilyana – support C

Sakura was holding the thunder tome that she had found the other day and she said the incarnation before a thunder bolt came down and missed a training dummy by a few cm.

"Training?" Sakura turned around at the voice to see Ilyana.

"Yeah, but it's harder than I thought it'd be!" Sakura said.

"I could help you if you want!" Ilyana said as she held up her own thunder tome.

"Oh, yeah. You use thunder magic too!" Sakura said and Ilyana nodded.

"Thunder is one of the hardest of the three main magic elements to control due to its speed! And the smaller the target, the harder it is to land a hit! Now watch!" Ilyana said as she said the incarnation for the spell before a thunder bolt came down and completely destroyed the training dummy.

"Whoa! You're good!" Sakura exclaimed.

"You could become that good too." Ilyana said before her stomach suddenly growled "I can start training you… after I've had something to eat!"

Mist/Rolf – support C

"Rolf-kun! Oh, there you are!" Mist said as she found her long-time friend.

"Mist-chan! Were you looking for me?" Rolf asked.

"Yes. I've been meaning to talk to you." Mist said.

"We haven't had a chance to talk since that day we fought for the first time." Mist said.

"I'm glad you're safe… somehow, we're both still alive." Rolf said.

"Yes… we've been so lucky." Mist said.

"My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking so badly that I almost shot an arrow into Boyd-nii-san's backside." Rolf said.

"Tee hee! Good thing you didn't, or he would have given you a smacking! I was so… scared. I heard yelling, screaming and the most awful howls of agony. I felt dizzy and sick." Mist said.

"I wasn't scared at all. Maybe I was a little nervous… but by the end, I was almost hitting my targets!" Rolf said.

"You weren't even a little scared?" Mist asked.

"No way. I can't wait for the next battle. I'll fight better next time. You'll see. I'll feather a horde of slobbering enemies! See you later, Mist-chan. I've got to go practice!" Rolf said before running off.

"Oh, Rolf-kun! Rolf-kun…" Mist said.

Support conversations end

Info conversations

Soldier

Ike was walking around the corridors of the palace when a Gallian soldier walked over to him.

"You there! Beorc! What do you think you are doing?" He said.

"I was trying to get back to my room, but I've lost my way. Can you tell me which way I need to go?" Ike said.

"It's this way. Follow me." The Laguz said as he started leading Ike towards his room "Hey! Not so close! Walk behind me."

"What?" Ike asked.

"Er… pardon me. the king has ordered us to treat Beorc with kindness, but… it will… take some time. It is difficult to fight that instinct. Perhaps some memory of the slavery our forefathers suffered at Beorc hands flows in our blood." The Laguz said.

"I understand. I'll keep my distance." Ike said.

"Very well… let's go." The Laguz said.

"All right." Ike said.

Marcia

"And so we put this guy right here, and this dealy-bobber goes there… and we're finished!" Marcia said as she packed when Ike walked in.

"Packing, huh? Want some help?" He asked.

"Do I want some…? Pfff! You're a hoot, handsome! I'm already done!" Marcia said.

"You're more skillful at this than I would've imagined. Or is it that Mist-imoto is woefully inept?" Ike said.

"Aw, the Begnion Pegasus Knights were always moving around, so I learned to pack quickly. They used to train us on it all the time… go here, pack this… fun stuff!" Marcia said.

"Is that so? I can see that you have a strong sense of duty. Quitting the Begnion Pegasus Knights to join us must seem…" Ike said, but Marcia cut him off.

"What are you saying? I'm a burden now?" She asked.

"Um… no. I'm very grateful you're here. As I told you before, we're short on personnel." Ike said.

"Oh. Good then! And I'm happy to be here! Um… say, Ike-san? You don't need to worry about me quitting the Begnion service. My decision wasn't based solely on my decision to repay you guys…" Marcia said.

"You had other reasons?" Ike asked.

"Yes. I-I'm searching for my missing brother. He may be a dolt and a scoundrel, but he's all the family I have in this world. Remember when Naruto-san first found me? When we were fighting the pirates? Well, I was trying to track him down. But every time I go looking for him, I end up in some dangerous situation with some ugly boat monkeys trying to kill me." Marcia said.

"Heh. So that's why you decided to join us, is it? I can understand." Ike said.

"So, are you sorry you asked?" Marcia asked.

"Not at all. The important thing is finding your brother as quickly as possible, right?" Ike said.

"That's the plan!" Marcia said.

Daniel

Naruto walked into the room were Daniel currently were to see him forging something before he noticed the blond Laguz.

"Ah, Naruto-san. What can I do for you?" Daniel asked and Naruto unrolled a scroll over a table before pointing at a three-pronged kunai.

"Do you think that you could make a kunai like this?" Naruto asked.

"I think so, but it seems a little complex. And it'll take some time." Daniel said.

"How much do you think it'll cost?" Naruto asked.

"I can't say yet, let's rather talk price after I've made it, okay?" Daniel said.

"Okay!" Naruto said before leaving.

Info conversations end

After his father's death places the mantle of leadership on his young shoulders, Ike agrees to continue as Elincia's escort. The company heads now for the Begnion Empire, the oldest and largest nation on the continent of Tellius. As Crimea is a former fiefdom of Begnion, the princess turns to them for succor, much as a scared child returns to a parent. Many in Tellius believe that without Begnion's might and influence, Crimea's reconstruction will be nigh impossible. However, Begnion and Gallia have no diplomatic ties and are further separated by an impassable mountain range. So the company is forced to locate a ship to carry them to Begnion.

Accompanied by Ranulf – the warrior who has volunteered to guide them – the company leaves Castle Gallia behind. With heavy hearts and wounded spirits, they begin the long march back to Crimea.

Crimea, outside Canteus Castle

"Hey, Ike-san! Hold up a moment." Ranulf said as they approached a castle before he continued "You know, I was thinking… since this castle is on the way, we should probably stop by."

"Um… really? Why? Is there something special about this place?" Ike asked.

"Why yes! There is! This is Canteus Castle! Daein seized it early on in the war. Now, it serves as a camp for prisoners. I've even heard there are a number of Crimean retainers being held captive in the dungeon beneath the castle." Ranulf said.

"What? Are you certain?" Elincia asked.

"Princess, I'm hurt! Of course my information is reliable." Ranulf said.

"If we can rescue some Crimean soldiers they might decide to join us. that would be quite a boon, would it not?" Titania said.

"Yes, it would. I think it's worth the risk." Ike said before they entered the castle.

Canteus Castle, dungeon

"The question now is how to open these cells and free the prisoners?" Ranulf said as they came down into the dungeon.

"The cells are certain to be locked, so in order to open them…" Ike said.

"Logic would dictate that the keys will be in the possession of the jailer. We've got no choice but to steal them. If we're lucky, the guards will have keys as well…" Soren said.

"Actually, me and Sakura-chan could easily open those doors without a key!" Naruto said.

"In either case, we must move with caution. We don't want to trade blows with the entire castle garrison." Soren said.

"Me and Sakura-chan would be able to get around without getting spotted, but as soon as the cell doors open, the guards will know that something's up!" Naruto said.

"All right, then. Naruto-san and Sakura-san will go in first and the rest of us will follow when they've opened the cells!" Ike said before Naruto noticed something and he turned around towards the stairs that they had come down.

"Hey! Who's there?" He asked and a man with brown hair, a red headband and black clothes came down.

"I have business with Greil-san. Where is he?" The man asked.

"You're sorely lacking in social etiquette, aren't you? State your business." Soren said.

"I'll speak with Greil-san and Greil-san alone. Now take me to him." The man said.

"What you ask is impossible. Commander Greil-san is dead." Titania said.

"Well. That is a problem." The man said.

"Just who are you, anyway?" Titania asked.

"Call me Volke. Greil-san hired me. I'm in… intelligence." The man, now identified as Volke said.

"Tou-san hired you?" Ike asked.

"You are Greil-san's son, correct? You'll do. Greil-san hired me to investigate something. You pay my price, and I'll give you my report. Deal?" Volke said.

"How much?" Ike asked.

"50.000." Volke said as though it was normal for people to ask for so much Gold.

"That's a bit steep." Ike said.

"And worth every penny." Volke said.

"I don't have that much… give me some time." Ike said.

"So, you're willing to pay?" Volke asked.

"Tou-san hired you. He must have had a good reason." Ike said.

"Are you sure, Commander? We have no way of knowing if he's telling the truth." Titania said.

"We'll know when we see the contents of that report. Until then, let's have him travel with us." Ike said.

"So that's your plan, eh? Listen, you get that report when I get paid, and I'm not waiting around until then. I'll keep my information for the time being. Call me when you've got the Gold. Stop into any tavern along your way. Tell the barkeep you've in need of a fireman. You'll see me within an hour." Volke said before he turned to leave.

"Hold a moment!" Soren said and Volke turned around "Intelligence… you said you were in intelligence, right? Is information the only thing you sell?"

"Come out with it. What are you asking?" Volke asked.

"Locks. Can you open locks?" Soren asked.

"Sure. 50 Gold per lock." Volke said.

"You're going to have him help with opening the cell doors?" Ike asked.

"Is that wise? We've only just met him. There's no telling if we can trust him." Titania said.

"What do the three of you think?" Ike asked as he looked at Naruto, Titania and Soren.

"Under the circumstances, I think trusting a man about whom we know nothing is dangerous. I am opposed to this." Titania said.

"If we want to get those cells open, I think risk is going to be inevitable. If we don't have to steal keys, we can reduce that risk and improve our chances of rescuing the prisoners. It's worth a shot." Soren said.

"Well, I don't know about any of you, but I trust him, so I say we have him help!" Naruto said.

"You think that he's telling the truth?" Titania asked and Naruto nodded.

"Yep, he said that Greil-san hired him, right? He does have Greil-san's scent on him!" Naruto said.

"You can smell that?" Lethe asked.

"Yeah, can't you?" Naruto asked.

"Laguz noses are sharper than Beorc noses, but not _that _sharp!" Ranulf said.

"Well, maybe foxes have sharper noses than other Laguz." Naruto said, but Ranulf shook his head.

"No, Minato-san didn't have such a sharp nose!" Ranulf said.

"Huh. Strange." Naruto said as Ike looked back at Volke.

"Volke-san, will you help us break into these cells?" Ike asked.

"As long as I get paid, I've got no complaint." Volke said.

"Titania-taichou? Objections?" Ike asked.

"I told you before, didn't I? You're the commander. If you decide on a course of action, I will but follow." Titania said.

"Righto! I'm off. Good luck and all that." Ranulf said.

"What? Wait! You're not going to help us here?" Ike asked.

"Much as I would like to, I have a job to do. I will rejoin you when I'm finished." Ranulf said.

"Hmm… I see. Well, good luck to you then." Ike said.

"Yes, and to you as well!" Ranulf said before he ran upstairs.

"Alright. Naruto-san, Sakura-san and Volke-san, the three of you should get going to the three cells and rescue the prisoners!" Ike said and the three of them… even Volke shunshined away. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Okay, how the heck does Volke know Shunshin no jutsu?)**

Inside one of the cells were a heavily armored soldier and a Crimean knight with red armor who was sitting on his horse. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Weird how they take away their weapons, but leave behind the armor and animals.)**

"Uh… tell me something, will you? What's going to happen to us? Those Daein soldiers took my friends away, and they didn't never come back. What did they do to them? Oh, something bad happened! I just know it!" The heavily armored soldier said.

"Quiet, fool! Keep your cowardly mutterings to yourself. It matters not what vile torture they devise. A true knight of Crimea is bold, steadfast, and strong. I care not if they pull out my nails with tongs or insert pins into the soft flesh of my underbelly or yank…" The Crimean knight said, but the other one interrupted him.

"STOP IT! I can't bear torture! I'm not a professional soldier! I'm just part of the militia! I can't believe I left my family behind for this… will I ever see them again? Oh, I want to go home." He said.

"Curses… if only I had a weapon of some sort." The Crimean knight said. **(Kurama no Kyubi: And what were you planning to use that weapon for?)**

In another cell was a woman with long green hair who – for some reason – still had her shield.

"Help… will… come. I will not… give up…" She said. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Is she a psychic since she knows that help will come, or something?)**

With Naruto

Naruto dropped down just in front of a cell door and he quickly opened it before walking into the cell to see none other than Sephiran.

"Sephiran-san? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Naruto-san, it's been a while!" Sephiran said.

"Yeah, but you didn't answer my question." Naruto said.

"Well, you see. I was tending to a Crimean soldier's wounds when we were found by Daein soldiers!" Sephiran said.

"Oh, well, we should get out of here quickly. Follow me!" Naruto said before he looked out of the cell to see if the coast was clear.

With Volke

Volke dropped down in front of the cell that the heavily armored soldier and the Crimean knight were in and he quickly opened the lock.

"Look, someone's saving us!" The heavily armored soldier exclaimed.

With Sakura

Sakura dropped down in front of the cell that the woman was in and she quickly opened the lock.

"You're a Crimean soldier, right? I've opened your cell. Let's get out of here." Sakura said.

"Who… are you?" The woman asked.

"I'm Haruno Sakura. I'm currently with a mercenary company hired by Princess Crimea-sama. We can fill you in on the details later. For the time being, you'll just have to trust me." Sakura said.

"… Very well." The woman said.

A Daein soldier then noticed Sakura and yelled "L-look out! We're under attack!"

Sakura turned towards the Daein and threw a shuriken into his throat.

With the commander of the Daein forces

"Commander Danomill-san! The castle defenses have been breached! What are your orders, sir?" A Daein soldier said.

"What fortunate timing. We were starting to run low on prisoners. Do try to capture them alive. I won't have you robbing me of my fun!" The commander, Danomill said.

"As you command, sir!" The soldier said before several Daein troops came out of each of the only three exits.

With the mercenaries

"We've been spotted. There's nothing left to do but fight!" Ike said.

A Daein Knight walked towards Titania and tried to stab her, but she blocked it with her axe and suddenly, a thunder bolt shot down and hit the Knight.

A Daein Myrmidon then charged at Boyd, but his sword was suddenly blocked by Mia's before Soren used a Wind spell and blew him up the stairs.

A Daein Archer then aimed at Marcia's Pegasus and he was about to fire before he was suddenly hit in the chest by an arrow, courtesy of Rolf.

Another Myrmidon charged at Rolf, but Aran came up in front of him and stabbed him with his lance.

A Daein soldier came into Sephiran's cell, but just as quickly as he came in, he came spiraling out again and he shot into the wall. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Those of you who can guess what happened, gets an invisible cookie! Good luck trying to find it!)**

Marcia rode towards a group of three Daeins and she stabbed her javelin through one of them before throwing it at another one as the third one – which was a mage – fired a fire ball at her. Ilyana then came up in front of the fire ball and fired a thunder bolt that went straight through the fire and hit the enemy Mage.

Lethe – in her cat form – ran at an enemy Knight and jumped up, clawed him in the face and when she landed, she rammed into him.

Volke blocked a Daeins sword before he kicked said Daein away and slammed his knife into him.

The Crimean knight noticed Oscar and rode towards him.

"It's you!" He said and Oscar looked at him with a confused expression on his face.

"Pardon?" He asked and the Crimean knight took off his helmet.

"I could never forget that squint! Knights of Crimea, twelfth regiment… your name is Oscar!" The Crimean knight said.

"And you're… wait a moment… you're Kieran-san, right?" Oscar said as he recognized his old rival.

"That is correct! I am Kieran… the same Kieran who has sworn himself to be your eternal rival!" Kieran said.** (Kurama no Kyubi: Anyone else thinking of Guy here?)**

"Uh… right… Kieran-san… so… how've you been? You look good." Oscar said.

"As always, your manner is listless and inappropriate. It befits one who would call me foe! You were discharged three years ago… what are you doing here now? Aha! Could it be… you dastard! You've turned your coat and gone over to Daein, haven't you? Rarrrrr! What despicable, contemptible behavior! Unforgivable! Have you no shame? You were my one true rival! Where has your pride gone?" Kieran yelled angrily as he pointed an accusing finger at Oscar.

"The mercenary company I'm attached to serves under the command of the princess of Crimea! We came here to free any Crimean prisoners." Oscar said.

"The princess of Crimea? You're not part of the royal guard! How do you know about the princess?" Kieran asked.

"Well, like I said, the princess is our employer and…" Oscar said, but Kieran cut him off.

"Aha! So that's your scheme, is it? You hope to distinguish yourself by meritorious service and gain the glory that's rightfully mine! Admit it!" He said.

"Look, my duty is…" Oscar started, but Kieran once again interrupted him.

"Blast you! Curse your name! Curse the name of Oscar and all who call him kin! I will never let you surpass me! Princess! I'm coming! Kieran will be forever at your side!" Kieran yelled before he rode off as Oscar sweatdropped.

"Whoa… he's even more excitable than I remember. Hard to believe he's actually a decent knight…" he said.

Mia blocked the lance of a Daein Knight with her sword before she pushed the lance out of the way and swung her sword at the Daein's armor, but the sword didn't even make a dent. The Knight then stabbed his lance forward as Mia tried to dodge to the left, but her right shoulder got grazed and she fell down into a crouched position.

"Mia-san!" Mist yelled as she ran towards Mia, and as she reached the purple-haired girl, she started healing the wound with her staff as the Daein Knight prepared to kill both of them.

Boyd then came and blocked the Daein's lance with his iron axe before taking out his hand axe and using it to cut the lance in two before swinging both axes in an x over the Daein's chest.

Mordecai – in his tiger form – charged at two Daein soldiers, quickly cutting down one of them before the other one tried to stab the tiger with his lance, but Mordecai grabbed the lance with his mouth before pulling the Daein towards him. Mordecai then let go of the lance and used his tail to swipe the Daeins feet so he fell down on the ground and the tiger then brought his claws into the Daein's chest.

Sakura blocked a Daein's lance with one of her kunai and she pushed the Daein back before throwing a shuriken at him. Then a Daein Knight came and threw his javelin at her, but suddenly, the javelin was sliced in half and Titania came on her horse before she cut down the Daein as the others came up the stairs to where Sakura and the woman that she had freed were.

"Sakura-chan, are you all right?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, of course I am. Naruto." Sakura said before a Daein with a short spear threw said spear towards the pinkette and it hit her in the back.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" Naruto yelled before he charged angrily at the Daein and quickly cut him with his claws while both Rhys and Mist tended to Sakura.

Ike then entered the room where the commander of the Daein forces were and two Daein Myrmidons charged at him, but he quickly cut them down before he stopped and stared at Danomill.

"Oh, yes… excellent. What a defiant stare you have. You're exactly the type of prisoner I long for. I will watch as hope fades from your eyes and revel as despair clouds your vision. It will be transcendent." Danomill said.

"… Don't count on it." Ike said before he held his sword horizontally in front of him.

"Critical hit." He yelled as he shot towards Danomill and seemed to go straight through him.

"You'll not escape… I will see all of you… dead… you will be exe… cu… ted…" Danomill said before he collapsed down on the ground and died.

With the others

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto said as he kneeled down beside her before looking at Rhys "Will she be okay?"

"It's not easy to say. She's suffered massive internal damage!" Rhys said as Sephiran came over.

"May I?" He asked.

"Who are you?" Rhys asked.

"I'm a monk on a pilgrimage, and I think I can help your friend!" Sephiran said before Rhys moved out of the way and Sephiran knelt down and placed his hand over the wound. The hand then started emitting a white glow and the wound suddenly started closing itself.

"Impossible, he's healing it without a staff!" Rhys said mostly to himself.

As Naruto watched what Sephiran was doing, he suddenly saw the image of a man that looked like Sephiran except that he had long blond hair, large white wings and he wore a white robe.

"There, now she should be just fine!" Sephiran said as Ike walked out of the room where the enemy commander was in. Naruto then picked up Sakura bridal-style and they started walking towards the exit.

"Time to get out of here!" Ike said before all of them walked out of the castle's dungeon.

Outside Canteus Castle

When they had gotten out of the castle, Ike brought Kieran over to where Elincia was waiting.

"I've brought one of the Crimean soldiers who was being held prisoner." Ike said.

"Ahem… I'm sure you are unaware of this, but I am…" Elincia said, but Kieran cut her off.

"Princess Elincia-sama!" He said as he kneeled down in front of her.

"Oh… yes. Quite right." Elincia said.

"I am Kieran! I served under General Geoffrey-taichou, as leader of Crimea's fifth platoon. My platoon had the honor of escorting you from the palace during Daein's attack!" Kieran said.

"Really? You were there when…" Elincia said.

"I was! Renning-sama ordered my platoon to accompany General Geoffrey-taichou and serve as your escort. Our mission was to see you safely out of Crimea to Gallia's king. But we failed you… and when you were lost to us… I believed my worthless life was at its end… yet here you are! To think that I would be so blessed as to see you again… such emotion… I… the tears… sniff..." Kieran said as tears started coming out of his eyes.

"Kieran-san, were there any others?" Elincia asked.

"Such terrific emotion… so… beg your pardon?" Kieran said as he hadn't quite caught what Elincia had said.

"Did anyone other than yourself survive?" Elincia asked.

"Of course! Though I was the only one unfortunate enough to suffer the misery of captivity. General Geoffrey-taichou and several of his soldiers fought off the Daein attack. They were able to slip away. Even now, they wait in Crimea, hoping for one last chance to strike a blow against Daein." Kieran said.

"Geoffrey-san… he is alive? Ah… how those words drive off the shadows across my heart… thank you, Kieran-san. Thank you… for surviving." Elincia said.

"You are too kind, Your Highness. The opportunity to serve you again is the greatest reward I could ask for. For as long as I draw breath, I will stand ready at your side! This, I swear." Kieran said.

Ike then brought Elincia over to the other two Crimean soldiers.

"All right, we all know where Kieran-san stands… how about you two? Will you recognize Princess Elincia-san as the rightful heir to the Crimean throne? Will you fight for her?" He said.

"Look here. My name's Brom, and this lass is Nephenee. We're just simple country militiamen from the same territory. Now, we don't know much about nobles and stuff. Kings and queens don't matter much when you're workin' the fields. 'Course, we know we'll be in trouble if someone takes our fields away from us, so that's why we joined the militia! This king of Daein's no friend of ours. And I hear he's doing terrible things, too… vile tortures with rusty nails and… and more! What's going to happen to my family? I left them all back home, and I'm so worried I can hardly see straight." The heavily armored soldier, now identified as Brom said.

"If you can defeat the king of Daein, will this country return to the way it used to be? Is that what you're after?" Nephenee asked.

"It is my hope. I may not be as powerful as my father, but I will never abandon Crimea." Elincia said.

"You sound like a lady who stands by her word. Looks like my choice is easy!" Brom said.

"Mine too." Nephenee said.

"I'll fight in your name. I'll help you and yours, and we'll send those Daein milksops packing!" Brom said.

"Thank you." Elincia said.

"I beg your pardon…" They turned towards the voice to see Sephiran.

"You're…" Ike started but Nephenee cut him off.

"O blessed saint…" She said.

"Sephiran-san! You live!" Brom said.

"Brom-san, Nephenee-san… are either of you wounded?" Sephiran asked.

"We're fine, but what about you? You were jailed for helping us… I'm so sorry! Oh, I hope they didn't hurt you!" Brom said.

"It is nothing to fret about. Everyone is safe, and that is what matters." Sephiran said.

"O blessed one…" Nephenee said.

"Pardon me, may I have a moment?" Ike asked as he and Sephiran walked a little away from the others.

"Yes?" Sephiran said.

"I was just wondering, why did you save Sakura-san?" Ike asked.

"Tell me something. If you saw a wounded person, could you ignore their plight?" Sephiran asked.

"Normally… no, I could not. But in times like these, where it means risking my own life… I don't know. It's tough to say." Ike said.

"Ha ha… you're quite honest. However, if actually faced with such a choice, a man such as yourself would not hesitate. If faced with an individual in pain, you would act instinctively. Your body would not wait for the command." Sephiran said.

"Who… who are you? Really. You're so calm, so full of peace." Ike said.

"If you'll forgive me, I must be going. Fare thee well, young warrior. I am certain we will meet again." Sephiran said before walking away.

"…Ike-san." Ike turned to the voice to see Volke.

"Oh, hello, Volke-san. What do you want?" Ike asked.

"I was thinking about traveling with you for a bit. I'll be in the general area, so if you need anything, you can call me. I'll help you out… for a fee, of course." Volke said.

"What did you say?" Titania asked as she approached.

"Why would you do such a thing? In times such as these, there must be many parties that need… intelligence." Ike said.

"Well, you've sparked my curiosity. And besides… no, we'll just have to leave it at that." Volke said.

"That's not acceptable." Titania said.

"Don't be so inflexible. It's not as if I'll be joining your merry band or anything. This is strictly business." Volke said.

"And yet you…" Titania started, but Ike cut her off.

"Titania-taichou." He said.

"I believe this is a good opportunity. We will almost certainly have need of this man's talents. He is a dubious character at best, but at least we know his motives. Everything begins and ends with Gold. He'll be easy to control." Soren said as he approached.

"Soren-san, he's standing right there." Ike said.

"I don't think he minds." Soren said.

"What will it be, Ike-san? The decision's yours." Titania said.

"Very well. You may do as you like." Ike said as he looked at Volke.

"Excellent. Call me if you need anything." Volke said before leaving as Ranulf came.

"First the thief and then that monk… what an odd band of characters you've attracted!" He said.

"Ranulf-san! Have you finished your errands?" Ike asked.

"All done! But about those two…" Ranulf said.

"Yes, they're both rather mysterious." Ike said.

"Well, the monk seems like a decent enough fellow." Ranulf said.

"Determining who is a friend and who is a foe is something I must be able to do. But it's just so hard." Ike said.

"That's only because you don't have enough information to base your judgment on. All we can do now is press on." Ranulf said.

"You're right…" Ike said.

With Naruto

Naruto was sitting next to the still unconscious form of Sakura as he thought back to the image he saw earlier when he looked at Sephiran-san.

"N-Naruto?" Naruto looked down to see that Sakura-chan was finally awake.

"Sakura-chan, are you all right?" He asked concerned.

"I'm fine." Sakura said as she sat up "… But what happened?"

"Some Daein jerk hit you with a spear, but Sephiran-san healed you!" Naruto said.

"Sephiran-san…?" Sakura asked and Naruto nodded.

"Mm-hm. He was among the prisoners that we saved!" Naruto said before he noticed Sephiran-san in the distance, walking away from them "Look, there he is!"

Naruto pointed towards where Sephiran was and Sakura looked towards him as well. But then Sephiran looked over his shoulder and smiled back at them as Naruto once again saw the image of the blond angel-like man before Sephiran continued to walk.

"He's quite mysterious, isn't he?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, I guess he is." Naruto said just before Sephiran suddenly vanished into thin air as though he was never there.

Chapter preview

Ike "What's with this place? The people are going about their business. Why aren't they worried about Daein? About the war?"

Soren "Ignorance is a form of bliss, is it not? These people don't know what it's like to lose a war. They don't want to know. Crimea as a nation has always been blessed by peace. Perhaps this is due to the temperament of its rulers, but the country hasn't seen serious warfare for centuries."

Soldier "Attention citizens! We've received reports of Crimean army stragglers hiding in this town! From this point forth, the Daein army will blockade all points of entry! No one comes or goes without our leave! The harbor is also closed! No ships will be allowed to set sail!"

Zihark "Hold on! Please! … I am not an enemy to Laguz!"

The Black Knight "All these men. And they're still having problems? Did I make a miscalculation?"

Nasir "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Blood runs red."

Naruto "You, you're the one who killed Greil-san! You're the Black Knight, aren't you?"

Character status

Naruto: Class: Genin.

Level: 18

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Supports: Ike, Soren, Mia, Sakura, Mist, Rolf, Lethe.

Ike: class: Ranger.

Level: 16

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Oscar, Soren, Titania, Lethe.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 15

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Ike, Boyd, Mist, Sakura.

Boyd: Class: Fighter.

Level: 14

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe, hand axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Titania, Mist.

Oscar: Class: Lance knight.

Level: 15

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Ike, Aran.

Rhys: Class: Priest.

Level: 10

Techniques: Heal, Restore.

Weapons: heal staff, mend staff, restore staff.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Titania, Mia, Rolf, Sakura.

Soren: Class: Mage.

Level: 10

Techniques: Wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Ike, Naruto.

Mia: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 10

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron sword.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Rhys, Sakura, Ilyana.

Sakura: Class: Genin.

Level: 6

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin, Thunder.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken, thunder tome.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Aran, Titania, Rhys, Mia, Ilyana, Mist.

Aran: Class: Soldier.

Level: 12

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Sakura, Oscar.

Ilyana: Class: Mage.

Level: 9

Techniques: Thunder, El-Thunder.

Weapons: Thunder tome.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Mia, Sakura, Mordecai.

Mist: Class: Cleric.

Level: 2

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Heal.

Weapons: heal staff.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rolf, Boyd, Titania, Naruto, Sakura, Mordecai.

Rolf: Class: Archer.

Level: 3

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Critical hit.

Weapons: Rolf's bow.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Mist, Naruto, Marcia.

Marcia: Class: Pegasus Knight.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: javelin.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rolf.

Lethe: Class: Cat.

Level: 4

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Cat Laguz.

Supports: Naruto, Ike.

Mordecai: Class: Tiger.

Level: 3

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Tiger Laguz.

Supports: Ilyana, Mist.

Volke: Class: Thief.

Level: 10

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: knife.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: none

Danomill: Class: General.

Level: 3

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel blade, steel lance.

Race: Beorc.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Next chapter, Naruto will fight the Black Knight and die!

**Naruto: **WHA…?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Just kidding. Anyway, I would like your opinion on which Akatsuki members should be Laguz. Also if there's one that you think should be a Laguz, then tell me what kind of Laguz he/she should be. And you can also come up with your own Laguz species. For example: Kisame as a Shark Laguz. Also those Akatsuki members that aren't Laguz, will be Branded!


	11. Blood runs red

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Gallia arc**

**Kurama no Kyubi:** I'm going to open a new poll that'll be open for the duration of the Begnion arc. Shall I write a "mini-series" about Minato's time in Tellius? Also if most of you answer "yes" I won't be writing it until I'm done with this story. Now on to the reviews.

**yukicrewger2:** getting back to my last review, I meant special items, such as Naruto's transformation stone, that kind of thing. and yes, the skill scrolls. I am curious as to what kind of ability Naruto will get.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **So you only meant those items, huh? Well then I've got a question for you. Do you think that an Elixir would count as a special item?

**yukicrewger2: **I vote for Lethe-san and Mist-san getting with Naruto.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Okay, I've said this before and I'll say it again: You can only vote for Sanaki and Jill in the reviews, got that?

**yukicrewger2: **also you said that Minato was fox, how can that be, when you said in the first chapter that Uzumakis were foxes...

**Kurama no Kyubi: **I've never said that the Uzumaki clan was Fox Laguz! Nor have I hinted at it.

**yukicrewger2: **another note, couldn't someone use summoning to cross the desert? since Naruto's on one side and Jiraiya is on the other, they could make the cross using summoning/reverse summoning. it's not just for letters after all (Naruto needs to send a letter or something, poor Hinata)

**Tsunade: **Jiraiya's busy on an important mission that you'll probably find out about at the end of this chapter. So he won't have time to go to Tellius. And Naruto has sent plenty letters already, just not "on-screen".

**yukicrewger2: **as a fellow fox, I wish Naruto the best of luck.

**Naruto: **You're a fox?

**the lone soul:** really good also love the currentky KetheXNaruto pairing really good hope it dont turn out like Catria in shadow dragon...

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Well, I haven't really played Shadow Dragon. Also I was under the impression that her name was Lethe, not Kethe… guess I got it wrong.

**Mzr90:** Cool chapter and pretty funny on Naruto not knowing what his growls say and looming forward to his other supports.

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Yeah, I know it's funny. It's pretty much the reason I wrote it.

**Mzr90: **On the Akatsuki well here's my list

Itachi can be Phoenix and Kisame a shark Laguz.

Sasori can be a scorpion Laguz and Deidara a owl Laguz.

Hidan can be a branded and Kakuzu can originally be a lizard Laguz before adding hearts of other Laguz.

Konan can branded and Nagato a fox Laguz since he's a Uzumaki.

Tobi a branded and Zetsu something he created mixing Laguz DNA with plants.

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Those were some pretty good ideas, but the Uzumaki aren't Fox Laguz. The reason Naruto's a fox is due to his father, his mother however was a… and we'll leave it at that! Also I like your idea with Zetsu.

**Mzr90: **Also I'll vote for Sanaki and just wondering in Naruto's harem will it be the top 3 or 4?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Vote noted. I did originally plan to have Naruto only paired with one of them, but then I actually decided on having it be the top 3, which is currently Lethe, Mia and – thanks to your vote – Sanaki.

**kalakauai:** Itachi is Sasuke's older brother, in which case, he should be a Phoenix Laguz as well.

**Sasuke: **Of course he is, all Uchiha are Phoenix Laguz.

**kalakauai: **Maybe you can make Most of the Akatsuki memebers Branded... like about 50% branded 25% Laguz and Beorc. If not planning for Akatsuki Beorcs, how about 75% Branded and 25% of Akatsuki memebrs are Laguz... annoying math for sure...

**Pain: **We're mostly Laguz with about two Branded. At least if Kurama no Kyubi decides on doing what Mzr90 suggested.

**kalakauai: **Hmm... Sephiran... Hey, wasn't he with Kakashi?

**Kakashi: **I'm currently working as a spy for Sanaki-sama of Begnion due to my ninja skills.

**Izanagi:** Nice skit between Naruto and Lethe but hope the next chapter we see him getting close to Mia and still voting on Sanaki.

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Vote noted. But he won't be getting much closer to Mia anytime soon. Now that that's over with, let's start the chapter.

"Fire Emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire Emblem.' _Normal thought

"**Fire Emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire Emblem.'**_** Biju and transformed Laguz thought**

**Volke: **...

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Do the disclaimer, Volke-san.

**Volke: **100.000.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **What? All right, Naruto, you'll do the disclaimer.

**Naruto: **Kurama no Kyubi doesn't own anything, or else I would be smart… wait, what?

Chapter 10: Blood runs red

Naruto was sitting with his back leaning against a rock just outside the campsite, and he was staring up at the night sky as his thoughts kept going back to that angel-like being he saw when he looked at Sephiran-san.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" Naruto looked to his left to see Lethe standing there and he scooted over so that she could sit down. When she had sat down, Naruto first noticed how pretty the cat actually was as his eyes travelled over her body, and he started blushing as a trail of blood came down from his nose.

"The stars sure are beautiful tonight!" Lethe said.

"Yeah, you are…" Naruto said before he realized what he had just said and quickly shook his head as his head became as red as a tomato and he looked back up at the stars "I… I mean, they are!" He quickly corrected himself and Lethe giggled at him.

"So, what were you thinking about?" Lethe asked.

"Ah, well. It's nothing." Naruto said as he looked down on the ground, still blushing.

"So sure about that?" Lethe asked.

"I was just wondering where Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke are." Naruto lied.

"Who?" Lethe asked.

"The remaining two members of my team! I still have no idea where they are! For all we know, they could both be here in Crimea! Or they could be imprisoned somewhere in Daein!" Naruto said.

"Wherever they are, I'm sure that you'll find them! Besides, I've heard that Begnion's got spies all over Tellius! If they don't know the location of your friends, then no one does!" Lethe said.

"I hope you're right." Naruto said as he looked back up at the stars.

Phoenicis, training field, the next day

A hawk crashed into the mountain wall before falling to the ground as he was enshrouded by a brown glow as he reverted back into his humanoid form.

On a circular platform was Sasuke standing, unscathed. Around him where the barely conscious forms of at least ten Hawk Laguz… all in their humanoid forms.

Sasuke turned around when he heard the sound of clapping to see Tibarn, the king of the Hawk Tribe and his two henchmen: his eyes, Janaff and his ears, Ulki.

"Congratulation, Sasuke! You beat ten of my strongest warriors without even being touched, not even once! And you never even transformed!" Tibarn said.

"Hm. I've trained to fight in this form since I was a small child! It's no wonder I beat them so easily!" Sasuke said.

"True, but how long do you think that you can hold out against me?" Tibarn asked.

"Heh, is that a challenge?" Sasuke asked, getting excited about fighting the hawk king.

"Yes, you could say that. But first, you'll have to fight Janaff-san and Ulki-san! Only then can you even hope to face me!" Tibarn said.

"Heh, all right then, I'll fight them!" Sasuke said before charging at the two as they transformed.

Crimea, Port Toha

The Greil Mercenaries walked over the bridge to the port city of Toha. Also all of the Laguz members of the group were covered from head-to-toe in brown robes.

"Well, we're here! Welcome to Toha, Crimea's westernmost port city." Ranulf said as they walked off the bridge and into the city.

"What's with this place? The people are going about their business. Why aren't they worried about Daein? About the war?" Ike asked as he looked around.

"It's because this area is fairly isolated. Daein's army hasn't come this far, and so life goes on as before. Daein's plan is to seize the capital, then slowly and steadily expand it's sphere of influence until it controls everything." Ranulf said.

"Surely these people have some idea of what's happening." Ike said.

"Ignorance is a form of bliss, is it not? These people don't know what it's like to lose a war. They don't want to know. Crimea as a nation has always been blessed by peace. Perhaps this is due to the temperament of its rulers, but the country hasn't seen serious warfare for centuries. While minor skirmishes with the kingdom of Daein have been legion, only the eastern borderlands have taken damage." Soren said.

"And yet even I know this peace will not last long. When we met Daein forces on our scouting mission, they attacked us merely for being within the Crimean border." Ike said.

"Humans are shameless creatures that carelessly ignore any misfortune which does not befall them directly. They can – and often do – turn a blind eye to all manner of wickedness so long as it does not touch them or their kin. They will bow their heads, condemning those victims for bringing calamity upon themselves, and then they will cast their eyes toward heaven in thanks while their neighbors lay dying around them." Soren said.

"These _humans_ that you're talking about know nothing about the Will of Fire!" Naruto said.

"The "Will of Fire"?" Ike asked.

"It's something that the people of Konoha believe in! The Will of Fire dictates that you should never abandon a comrade, even if it costs you your life!" Sakura said.

"Konoha sure sounds like an interesting place." Ranulf said.

"But still, the war is happening here. This is their home, not someone else's." Ike said.

"When the Daein army darkens their doorsteps, perhaps they will understand. When the peace they take for granted is shattered, and their sons and daughters slaughtered in the streets… perhaps then will they comprehend the misfortunes they so long pretended not to see. I have no sympathy for them." Soren said before he walked a little ahead of the group.

"My goodness, the nastier the truth, the blunter he gets… quite a delightful staff officer you have there." Ranulf said.

"He, um… he has an undeniable streak of severity in him, but… but this? Something's bothering him, that's for sure." Ike said,.

"It's to be expected. Even I'm a bit shocked by this place. Can they truly be as placid as they appear? Soren-san's a very empathetic young man. The emotions of this place may have proven to be too much for him." Titania said.

"Ignoring impending doom because you cannot prevent it… fatalism is by nature a disheartening beast. Well, for all those born with nothing, there are those born with everything. Perhaps those who never notice the difference are the ones we should envy." Ranulf said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ike asked.

"Huh? Oh, I was talking to myself. Pay me no mind." Ranulf said before they stopped walking "Now then, I've got to see a man about a ship. While I'm gone, why don't you get your supplies squared away? I'm sure that the journey ahead will require a lot of packing."

"Ranulf-san, I'll go with you." Titania offered.

"No, no, that's all right. You should supervise the supply acquisition. You're going to be at sea for months, you know!" Ranulf said.

"I know that, but…" Titania said, but she stopped mid-sentence.

"What is it, Titania-taichou?" Ike asked.

"She's worried about me. She doesn't want to leave a solitary Laguz wandering around a Beorc city." Ranulf said.

"Wait, I thought Crimea and Gallia were allies. Why would a wandering Laguz be cause for concern?" Naruto asked.

"Well, it shouldn't be, but…" Ranulf said.

"Do you remember what King Caineghis-sama told you and Ike-san? The friendship between Crimea and Gallia exists only between the ruling classes. It hasn't taken root in the minds of common citizenry at all." Titania said.

"That being said, things have improved quite a bit since King Ramon-sama ascended to the throne. The reports of hunts and such other horrors have all but disappeared… Oh, don't worry! I'll be fine! I've got connections, see? It's not like I'll be roaming the docks begging for passage." Ranulf said.

"All right then, the job is yours. Please be careful." Ike said.

"You, too. Don't mess anything up!" Ranulf said before leaving.

Later

As Ike waited for everyone to get finished packing, Soren walked over to him.

"Ike-san, here's a summary of our last battle." He said before giving Ike the report.

Report

Earned: 0 G

Spent: 4365 G

Current: 20815 G

Combat Exp: 947 P

Bonus Exp: 255 P

MVP: Ike

New Ally: Brom, Kieran, Nephenee, Volke

Fallen: none

Report end

"There were no casualties, and no one suffered permanent injury. We fought excellently. That's all I have to report. If you'll excuse me." Soren said before leaving.

Support conversations

Naruto/Soren – support C

As Naruto walked down the streets, he suddenly heard some racket and he went to check it out.

He then saw Soren getting thrown out of a magic tome shop and he couldn't believe what he saw.

"And stay out there, you freak!" He said before throwing an El-wind tome at Soren "Here, you can have it."

Soren got to his feet as he picked up the green book and he walked through the streets as people kept glaring at him, though he didn't seem to bother too much about it.

"Hey, Soren-teme! What was all that about?" Naruto asked as he walked over to Soren.

"I'm not in the mood to talk to you right now." Soren said.

"Hey, I just wanted to know why you were thrown out of that shop!" Naruto said.

"I don't feel like telling you." Soren said.

"And what's with all these…" Naruto said, but Soren cut him off.

"GO MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!" He yelled… he actually yelled, showing the first sign of emotion that the blond had ever seen from him. Soren then ran off, but Naruto noticed something that was even weirder than the sudden outburst… tears coming down Soren's face.

Naruto just stood there with a sad expression on his face. It seems that Soren's a lot more like him than he originally thought.

Ike/Oscar – support B

"How's it going, Ike-san?" Oscar asked as he walked over to Ike.

"Oh, hey, Oscar-san. I'm fine… actually, I'm kind of worried about something." Ike said.

"Can I help?" Oscar asked.

"Well, I was trying to figure out how we should fight the Laguz Bird Tribes." Ike said.

"That's odd… I was just thinking about the same thing. When they turn into their true selves, we are forced into a kind of battle that is difficult for us." Oscar said.

"You're right about that. The Laguz are so strong. I've even seen them shatter boulders with a single blow. I feel like our weak points are as visible as a lit torch for the Bird Tribes. What's more, my sword is useless if they take to the sky…" Ike said.

"My advice is to keep engaging them. The more we fight, the more we learn. Of course, it won't be easy." Oscar said.

"No, but I'm sure we can do it. that's a good idea! Thanks." Ike said.

"Ah… well… sure. You're pretty amazing, Ike-san. You know that?" Oscar asked.

"Hey, come on now. You're the guy with all the experience and talent." Ike said.

"Everything I have accomplished comes from hard work and practice. You're the son of Commander Greil-san. You have… natural talent. I'd follow you anywhere." Oscar said.** (Kurama no Kyubi: Yet he doesn't follow him after Radiant Dawn!)**

"Uh… wow. Thanks, Oscar-san…" Ike said.

Titania/Boyd – support C

Boyd was inside, swinging his axe.

"98, 99, 100! Done! Bleh. What's the point of swinging an axe by myself? I should probably try to find Ike… but maybe a quick nap first…" He said as he went to take a nap.

"Boyd-san!" A voice from behind him said.

"Aaah! Titania-taichou!" He said as he turned around to see the red-haired warrior.

"Where do you think you're going? Are you blowing off your training again?" Titania asked.

"No! I'm not slacking, I swear! I was just… uh… going to work out with Ike! You know me, I'm all about the fighting!" Boyd said.

"Boyd-san, I know that training is tough. But if you make light of it, you're closer to death than you ever want to be. You're a mercenary. When you're confused or exhausted during a long battle, instincts make all the difference." Titania said.

"But, Titania-taichou… I just can't get into training when I don't have a partner." Boyd said.

"Can't get into it? Boyd-san? Don't make me chew you out again." Titania said.

"Joking! I-I'm just joking! What I just said? All a joke! Ha ha! Ha? Haaaaa…" He said before he swung his axe "Oh, I'm just dying to do some practice swings! Hyaaa! Boy, training id\s so much fun! Isn't that right, Titania-taichou? Whooo! I loooove training!"

"Darn it, Boyd-san, why are you so lazy? You're a natural fighter, you know that? You could even be a better fighter than me if you just put your mind to it. Anyway… keep practicing." Titania said before she left.

Sakura/Mist – support C

Sakura walked through the market when she spotted Mist.

"Hey, Mist-chan!" She said and Mist turned around.

"Oh, Sakura-san! What are you doing here?" Mist asked.

"I was seeing if they had any tome shops around here. I wanted to see if I could use other spells than just thunder." Sakura said.

"I saw a tome shop earlier. Come on, I'll show you where it is." Mist said before she led Sakura towards the tome shop.

"Say, Mist-chan! I hear that Naruto's been teaching you and Rolf-kun to use chakra and do some basic jutsus." Sakura said while they walked.

"Yeah, he has!" Mist said.

"How much has he taught the two of you?" Sakura asked.

"Hmmm… well, he taught us Bunshin no jutsu, Henge no jutsu, Kawarimi no jutsu and the tree-climbing exercise." Mist said.

"He hasn't taught you the walk-on-water technique yet?" Sakura asked.

"Walk-on-water?" Mist asked and Sakura nodded.

"Yes, by continuously channeling chakra through your feet, you can walk on the water's surface!" Sakura said.

"Really? I have to ask Naruto-san if he is going to teach us that." Mist said.

"Probably! And since we'll be at sea for a few months, there'll be plenty of time for him to teach you." Sakura said just before they reached the tome shop "Ah, this must be the shop! See you later, Mist-chan!"

"See ya!" Mist said.

Support conversations end

Info conversations

Merchant

Ike was in the town's inn when a man walked over to him.

"Hey there, traveler! Do you have everything you need? If you stop by my humble shop, you'll find the best deals in town! Whattya say? interested?" The man said.

"Yeah, that sounds great. Listen, can I ask you a question?" Ike said.

"No problem! You can ask me anything. Especially if it's about my low, low prices!" The man said.

"What do the townspeople think of Daein? You knew that they were coming. Didn't anyone think to flee Crimea?" Ike asked.

"Flee? Don't be absurd!" The man said.

"But Crimea lost the war." Ike said.

"Yeah, I know. And honestly? That doesn't really affect us common folk, ya know? The truth is, we don't care who sits on the throne. To us, they're all just faceless beings who rule from on high. If they'd tried to raise taxes or something, you better believe we'd protest, but otherwise… I mean, take the king of Daein. He's just another man, right? If we keep working, he can keep living the high life. So it's not like he's going to treat us poorly or anything. As long as we can live our lives and have a little happiness, we aren't going to worry about it all too much. Oh, but if we were invaded by Gallia, well, that's a different story altogether. If our country were overrun by those savage beasts, who knows what could happen? Now THAT scares me!" The man said.

"Heh." Ike and the man looked towards a table where a man, dressed in brown robes with a hood that hid his face were sitting before said man picked up his glass "Ashnard isn't the kind of man you'd want on your throne!" He then drank the drink before putting the glass down on the table "I've seen a lot of men like him in my life. Your men and women will be sent to work camps and your sons and daughters will be forced to join the Daein army!"

The man then stood up and walked towards the exit as he threw some Gold to the inn keeper.

'_Who's that guy?'_ Ike wondered as he walked after him, but when he came outside, the was no trace of the man.

Man

"Pardon me, buddy. I haven't seen you around town before. You a traveling mercenary?" A man asked as he approached Ike.

"Yes, I suppose you could say that." Ike said.

"Nice sword… you look like a man who knows his business. If you're looking for work, I've a proposition for you." The man said.

"A proposition?" Ike asked.

"I run a vigilante group that helps keep our fair town safe. A strong man like you would be most welcome." The man said.

"Thanks, but I've got something lined up." Ike said.

"Oh, really? That's too bad. Heading out to see?" The man said.

"Maybe." Ike said.

"Har har! Cautious to the end! I like that! Well, just in case you are… I want you to have this." The man said as he handed Ike a sharp sword.

"Hm? What's this?" Ike asked.

"It's a special sword. It'll come in handy if you ever… find yourself at sea. Not that you would! Har har!" The man said.

"Really? you're giving me a sword? Are you sure?" Ike asked.

"Well, there is one condition… once you've finished your job, you come back and see me. I'd like you to reconsider that vigilante position." The man said.

"Understood. Thanks again for the blade." Ike said before he left.

Lethe

Lethe was standing in a street as she looked towards a ship that was docked at the harbor.

"Hey, Lethe-san! What are you doing?" She turned around to see none other than Uzumaki Naruto.

"Naruto-kun! I was just thinking." Lethe said.

"Oh? What were you thinking about?" Naruto asked.

"The fact that we're going to Begnion!" Lethe said.

"Yeah, you don't like it there, do you?" Naruto said.

"Right." Lethe said as she looked down on the ground.

"But it can't really be that bad, can it? Well sure, they used to have Laguz as slaves, but that was a long time ago, right?" Naruto said.

"That's true, it was a long time ago. But that was only half the reason I don't like it there!" Lethe said and Naruto looked at her confused.

"Then what's the other half?" He asked.

"About 60 years ago, the previous king of Gallia, Caineghis-sama's father and the previous Apostle of Begnion had agreed to a peace treaty." Lethe said.

"A peace treaty?" Naruto asked and Lethe nodded.

"Yes. But just before they could sign the treaty, two powerful Lion Laguz known as the Gold & Silver Lions attacked! Caineghis-sama's father was killed! The Apostle however, somehow survived! So there are a lot of rumors that the Gold & Silver Lions were working with Begnion and that Begnion only used the treaty as a cover to stage an assassination of the Gallian king!" Lethe said. **(Kurama no Kyubi: I'll give you three guesses as to who the Gold & Silver Lions were and your first two guesses don't count!)**

"But you don't know that for certain. It could be that Begnion suffered heavy losses too." Naruto said as Lethe sighed.

"I guess you're right!" She said.

Elincia

Elincia walked through the streets of Toha, looking around.

"Princess!" She turned around to see Ike-san.

"Ike-san…" Elincia said.

"Why are you here all by yourself? That's not very safe." Ike said.

"I was looking at the town. I'm unfamiliar with the world outside the imperial villa where I was raised. This is the first time I've been able to see how other people live. Everything is so new and different to my eyes. This… is a town, isn't it? There's so much energy, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves." Elincia said.

"With all the boats coming in and out of the harbor, this town's livelier than most, that's for sure." Ike said.

"It's like nothing has happened. All the death and destruction we've seen feels like a horrible dream…" Elincia said.

Kieran

"Haa! Yaaa! Hiiii-yaaaa!" Were the sounds that Kieran made as he swung his axe at imaginary opponents.

"What are you doing?" Ike asked as he approached the read-head.

"I'm trying to regain the superb physique I lost when I was being held prisoner." Kieran replied without looking at Ike.

"Are you ready to board the ship?" Ike asked.

"I was born ready! Hoooo-ha! I don't need anything! Even as we speak, many of my fellow Crimeans are suffering at the hands of Daein. If I cannot rush to their aid today, then I can at least prepare myself for the day when I can." Kieran said.

"I see. Well, when we're ready, I'll let you know." Ike said.

"Understood." Kieran said.

"Sorry to have interrupted you." Ike said before he started to walk away.

"Ike-san!" Kieran said as he turned around.

"What is it?" Ike asked as he too turned around.

"You rescued and cared for Princess Elincia-sama. You have my heartfelt thanks. She… for us, she is our one solitary hope." Kieran said.

"Yeah." Ike said.

"Right, enough talking." Kieran said before he turned around to resume his training "Until we make our triumphant return to Melior, all I can do is keep training! Haaa! Nyaaa! Whaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Careful! Don't pull anything…" Ike said.

Brom

Ike saw Brom-san, standing on the other side of the bridge just outside the town and as he walked closer he saw that Brom was looking at something in his palm.

"What are you looking at?" Brom turned towards the owner of the voice to see Ike-san.

"Oh, just this." He said as he held up a small leather pouch that seemed to have something inside of it "It's sort of a goodluck charm. My family gave it to me when I left home. We never had much money, so my parents gathered some stones from our farm back home and put them in this leather pouch. It's not much to look at, but it means a lot to me. every day, I take them out and talk to them like they're my family. "How is everyone?" "I'm out here doing the best I can." "Don't worry. I'll be home soon." Just stuff like that. I know it sounds foolish, but if I don't do this… I won't… I won't have the courage to fight. Don't worry about my feelings. You can laugh. Acting like this at my age, what a silly man I am!"

"It's not silly, Brom-san. You're a strong man who has decided to fight for the sake of his family. I know that your family is very proud of you." Ike said.

"… Sniff… s-s-sniff… mm. Thank you, Ike-san. Sniff… thank you." Brom said.

Nephenee

"Well, that's that." Nephenee said as she got done packing.

"Are you ready to go, Nephenee-san?" Said a voice from behind her.

"Ah! Ike-san…" Nephenee said as she turned around.

"What is it?" Ike asked.

"… Um… nope! Nothin'! I'm fine." Nephenee said.

"Are you sure?" Ike asked.

"Yeah! Sure I'm sure!" Nephenee said.

"You know, it's hard being a prisoner. It's physically and mentally demanding… I need to know: can you fight?" Ike said.

"Not a problem!" Nephenee said.

"It's easy for you to say, but you sound like you're about to fall over." Ike said.

"That? Aw, no! That's a habit… it's just the way I talk. Just talkin'!... Sorry." Nephenee said.

"No need to apologize. As long as you're not feeling ill, everything's fine. All right, I'll see you later." Ike said.

"Right then…" Nephenee said as Ike left.

Gamakichi

Naruto and Lethe walked into an alley and Naruto quickly looked around to make sure that there weren't anyone around.

"Naruto-kun, what are we doing here?" Lethe asked as she blushed.

"Ssssh! I'm just going to show you something… and send a letter back to Konoha!" Naruto said before he bit his thumb, weaved a sequence of hand signs and slammed his hand on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu." He called out and in a puff of smoke appeared a small orange toad.

"**Naruto! Huh? Who's that?"** The small toad asked as he pointed at Lethe who was confused by the fact that this toad was able to talk, said toad then got a thought in his head **"Is she your girlfriend?"** He asked and both Naruto and Lethe started blushing.

"No, she's not!" Naruto yelled before he calmed down a bit "Anyway, Lethe-san, meet Gamakichi! Gamakichi, meet Lethe-san!"

"… Um, hi?" Lethe said a little nervously, after all it's not every day you meet a talking animal. Beorc and Laguz don't count.

"**So, Naruto. Why did you summon me?"** Gamakichi asked.

"Well I would like to send Konoha a letter saying that we're headed for the largest country in Tellius, Begnion! And we'll be getting on the boat for Begnion today! Also I would like to ask if it would be possible for Ero-sennin to come here!" Naruto said as he gave Gamakichi the letter.

"**Sorry, but Tsunade-sama has sent Ero-sennin on an important mission!"** Gamakichi said.

"A mission? What kind of mission?" Naruto asked.

"**It seems that the village Takigakure no sato has decided to give their Jinchuriki to Konoha to protect her, so Tsunade-sama sent Jiraiya to pick her up and he'll have to keep a close eye on her in case the Akatsuki were to show up!" **Gamakichi said.

"Hmmm. I see. Well, see you some other time then!" Naruto said.

"**Bye."** Gamakichi said before he puffed away.

Info conversations end

"We should be leaving, but… looks like everyone's going to be a while, yet." Ike said.

"Ike-san, are you ready to go?" Elincia asked.

"Me? As long as I've got my sword, I'm always ready." Ike said.

"A sword? That's it?" Elincia asked.

"If I've got my cape, I can sleep just about anywhere. And as for food, well… something always comes up." Ike said.

"Hee hee! That's delightful." Elincia said.

"It is?" Ike asked.

"Yes, very much so. Tee hee hee!" Elincia said.

"Princesses… I don't think I'll ever understand them." Ike said to himself before everyone could hear a commotion that was coming from the entrance to the town.

"What's going on? Why all the excitement?" Ike asked.

"Ike-san! There's a crowd gathering at the town entrance…" Elincia said.

"That scent! Daeins!" Naruto said.

"Attention citizens! We've received reports of Crimean army stragglers hiding in this town! From this point forth, the Daein army will blockade all points of entry! No one comes or goes without our leave! The harbor is also closed! No ships will be allowed to set sail!" The captain of the Daein soldiers announced.

Titania then rode over to where Ike, Naruto and Elincia was standing.

"Ike-san… Daein troops have…" She started, but Ike cut her off.

"I know. All we can do is move towards the docks and try not to be discovered." Ike said.

"Have you seen Ranulf-san?" Titania asked.

"Not yet." Ike said before he noticed Ranulf coming towards them "Wait, here he comes now. Ranulf-san! Over here."

"Hoo! Things sure are heating up, aren't they?" Ranulf said when he got over to them.

"How are things on your end?" Ike asked.

"Everything's set. All you need to do is sneak down to the harbor. You'll be met there by a man with a dusky pallor. His name is Nasir. Nasir-san is a man you can trust. I've explained your situation to him, and he's willing to help. If you can reach his ship safely, he'll take care of everything and deliver you to Begnion." Ranulf said.

"Ranulf-san, aren't you coming, too?" Ike asked.

"I was planning on it, but… Daein's movements have me concerned. I'll stay behind and see what's going on." Ranulf said before a woman suddenly ran into him and his hood was knocked off.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going…" The woman said.

"No, pardon me…" Ranulf started, but he was cut off when the woman screamed.

"Ah! Eeeeeeek! Su-sub-human!" She screamed.

"Blast!" Ranulf said before several people came over.

"I-it's true! A sub-human! How dare you come prowling around here!" A man yelled before he knocked Ranulf to the ground.

"Beast! Ya stinking sub-humans need to learn yer place! Human towns are too good for ya!" Another man said before he kicked Ranulf a few feet away.

"Eww! It's so hairy! Go on! Scat!" A woman said before she kicked Ranulf and a small crowd assembled around the cat as they continued kicking him.

"Dang!" Ike said before Lethe and Mordecai showed up "Mordecai-san!"

"Ike-san! We must leave!" Mordecai said.

"What? No! We have to help Ranulf…" Ike said, but Mordecai cut him off.

"All of this noise will attract the attention of the Daein troops." Mordecai said.

"That's why we have to hurry up and help…" Ike said, but this time Lethe was the one who cut him off.

"He'll be fine! Leave him." Lethe said.

"Ranulf-taichou is strong. Even stronger than me. It's all right." Mordecai said.

"Ranulf-san has no intention of defending himself! Look, he's not even changing forms! I can't just stand by and watch as he gets murdered!" Ike said before he went to go and save Ranulf.

"Ike-san! Wait!" Mordecai yelled after him.

"Just die already, you filthy sub-human!" A man yelled before Ranulf attempted to stand back up, but the man then prepared to punch him, but something suddenly grabbed his wrist and he looked over his shoulder to see a man dressed in a brown robe.

"Violence only brings about more violence and a cycle of hatred begins! Continue this action and it could lead to the end of both Beorc and Laguz alike!" The man said and Ike recognized the voice of the man he had encountered earlier in the inn.

"Get out of my way!" The other man yelled as he swung his arm at the man who stood behind him, but to everyone's shock, the man just vanished as though he was never even there. He then reappeared on the roof on a house that was on the other side of the plaza they were in.

"I have nothing against you, good Crimeans. But I will not tolerate an attack on a fellow Laguz!" The man said as he raised his right arm and suddenly the gravity around the townspeople seemed to get twice as strong and everyone collapsed down on the ground, but strangely enough, Ranulf didn't seem to be affected.

As Ike and the others looked up towards where the man had just been however, they saw no trace of him.

Some Daein soldiers then came to check what the commotion was about and they saw several knocked-out civilians and in the middle was a sub-human standing.

"A sub-human!" One of the Daein soldiers screamed before he charged at Ranulf, but Ike blocked his lance with his sword.

"Those must be the Crimean army stragglers!" Another Daein soldier yelled as the townspeople got up on their feet and ran past the bridge to the north of the plaza as the town vigilantes showed up.

"Where's the sub-human everyone's screaming about?" The leader of the vigilantes yelled.

"Huzzah! The Toha vigilantes are here! Grab those guys and turn them over to the Daein army! That will prove our allegiance and gain our village favor!" An old man said as he pointed at the Greil Mercenaries.

"Har har! If you want sub-humans hunted down, I'm your man!" The leader of the vigilante group said.

"Ike-san!" Ranulf said as he got up on his feet.

"Ranulf-san! Are you all right?" Ike asked.

"Yes!" Ranulf said.

"Good!" Ike said before he swung his sword straight through the Daein's lance and proceeded to stab the Daein before he ran back towards the others.

"Titania-taichou! Soren-san! Naruto-san! Get everyone together! We're getting out of here!" He said.

The harbor

"Listen to me! Do not let a single Crimean soldier escape our grasp. Sweep the entire town! Arrest anyone suspicious!" The general of the Daein forces, Mackoya ordered.

"General Mackoya-taichou! Sir, there's a group of vigilantes who want to help us. What shall I tell them?" A soldier said.

"Hmm… very well. let them do as they please." Mackoya said.

"Yes, sir!" The soldier said before running back to where the vigilante group was.

"Pardon me, are you the commander of these forces?" A man with blue hair, pointy ears and a red mark on his forehead asked as he approached the general.

"I am. And who are you?" Mackoya asked.

"I'm captain of the boat you see moored here. My name is Nasir. I stopped by to accomplish some piece of business, but… your soldiers are now preventing me from setting sail. I need to leave this place." The man, now identified as Nasir said.

"I apologize for the inconvenience. However, we are trying to stop some Crimean soldiers from escaping. To that end we need the cooperation of all citizens… ship captains included." Mackoya said.

"My ship is a simple merchant vessel, sailing under the flag of the Begnion Empire. If I present such documentation, surely it will prove I have no ties whatsoever with Crimea." Nasir said.

"Under Daein rule, such… Begnion papers are nothing more than fishwrap." Mackoya said.

"Yet…" Nasir started, but Mackoya cut him off.

"You called yourself, Nasir, correct? Protest too loudly, Nasir, and we may think you a Crimean sympathizer. If that were to happen, who knows what… unfortunate fate might your simple merchant ship…" Mackoya threatened.

"… I see. So be it." Nasir said before he walked onboard his ship.

"You there! Soldier!" Mackoya said as he pointed at one of the soldiers.

"Sir?" The soldier asked.

"Strengthen the watch on this ship. That man is up to something… I can feel it… no matter what happens, that ship must not be allowed to set sail. Burn her and sink her first!" Mackoya ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The soldier said before Mackoya rode off.

With Mackoya

Mackoya walked into a house that was in the middle of the town and looked around.

"Now then, where is our special guest?" He asked himself.

"I'm right here, General Mackoya-san." A voice said and he turned around to see none other than the Black Knight.

"Oh! Black Knight-sama! I hope I didn't keep you waiting." Mackoya said.

"No, I just arrived. Let us proceed… I would hear your report." The Black Knight said.

"There are no problems whatsoever. I've nothing to report. Save the tedium of it all. The farther west we travel, the weaker the Crimean fighting spirit becomes. Each town displays less and less resistance… now they literally throw wide the gates at first sign of our approach! With duty as humdrum as this, I worry that my troops may become sloppy and lose their edge." Mackoya said.

"As a fellow warrior, I can sympathize with your plight." The Black Knight said.

"I thank you for your understanding." Mackoya said.

"This town wasn't scheduled for subjugation until much later… tell me, why are you here now?" The Black Knight said.

"Yes, as to that… mere days ago, a castle that held Crimean prisoners of war was attacked and the captives freed. The perpetrators were Crimean soldiers accompanied by sub-humans. According to our intelligence reports, their trail led here…" Mackoya said.

"I see." The Black Knight said before Mackoya continued.

"The princess of Crimea is said to have fled to Gallia. If we can capture this band, we may gain information on her location." Mackoya said.

"Do you need my assistance?" The Black Knight asked.

"I thank you for the generous offer. However, if you were to enter the fray, it would be over in a twinkling. My men are starved for combat. I would beg your restraint so that they may be allowed some… entertainment." Mackoya said.

"As you will. The field is yours. Turn your soldiers loose, and may their blades run red with glory." The Black Knight said.

"Your graciousness is greatly appreciated." Mackoya said.

With the mercenaries

Seeing as though they had been discovered, the Laguz had all thrown of their robes so that it would be easier for them to fight.

"Good luck, Ike-san! **You'll be fine. As for me… I think I'll play a little game of cat and mouse with these Daein fools."** Ranulf said as he transformed before he ran past some of the Daein soldiers and out the town's south gate.

"The Gallian sub-human! After him! Don't let him get away!" One of the Daeins said before he and several others ran after Ranulf.

"Everyone, move to the harbor!" Ike yelled.

Phoenicis, training field

Janaff and Ulki was lying on the ground, unconscious as Sasuke stared at Tibarn. Unlike last time however, the Uchiha, now had several scratches on his body. Apparently Janaff and Ulki was far above any of the other hawks that he'd faced so far.

"Impressive, but lets see how well you handle yourself against me!" Tibarn said as he was enshrouded in a green glow before he transformed into a hawk.

"Hmm. If you're as strong as you'd like yourself to believe, then I might have to transform this time!" Sasuke said.

Tibarn then flew towards the Uchiha, trying to ram him with his talons, but Sasuke managed to dodge it and he looked towards the large hawk as he went through a series of hand signs.

"Katon: Goukakyo no jutsu." Sasuke called out as he fired a large ball of heated oxygen towards Tibarn.

Tibarn barrel rolled out of the way however and flew down towards the Uchiha with a screech. **(Kurama no Kyubi: Do a barrel roll! Lol.)**

Sasuke then activated his Sharingan and managed to dodge just in time. But Tibarn quickly turned towards the Uchiha and flew straight through him, but said Uchiha suddenly vanished and Tibarn noticed another fire ball, coming towards him.

He dodged it and looked up to see Sasuke hovering up in the sky.

"**Let me guess, Bunshin no jutsu, eh?"** Tibarn said thinking back to the Sasuke that he flew through.

"How did you know about Bunshin no jutsu? I don't remember ever having told you!" Sasuke said.

"**Let's just say that you're not the first shinobi that I've encountered!"** Tibarn said, peaking Sasuke's curiosity.

"Then who else have you met?" The Uchiha asked.

"**Win this fight, and I'll tell you!"** Tibarn said before he let out a loud screech.

"Very well, but then I think I'll have to get serious!" Sasuke said before he was enshrouded in a red glow as he transformed.

Crimea, Port Toha

Next to where the leader of the vigilante group was standing was a man with greyish blue hair and a purple uniform.

"Hey! Are there really sub-humans about?" He asked as he looked at the leader.

"Oh yeah, no mistake about it. And they'll as soon kill you as look at you!" The leader said.

"Where are they?" The man asked.

"They're over there..." The leader said as he pointed with his sword towards the plaza before he continued "Cunning beasts! We're just about to start flushing them out of hiding."

"I see. If you find one, be sure to give me a call." The man said before he started walking down towards the plaza.

"Har har! I like that guy. He came to our little town just for the chance to hunt sub-humans!" The leader said.

As the man walked down the street, he suddenly felt like someone was watching him. Then someone suddenly jumped down from a wall and the man quickly moved to block his attacker with his sword. He was surprised when he saw that it was a Laguz that was still in his humanoid form, but even more surprised when he saw that the Laguz was using a weapon, a weapon that he was currently blocking.

Just then, he noticed three exact copies of the Laguz coming towards him and they then kicked him up into the air.

"U… zu… ma… ki…" They said as they kicked him up before the one he blocked earlier jumped up on the back of another one, using it as a stepping stone. The man figured that he didn't have much time to defend himself from whatever the blond Laguz was going to do, so he flipped around in mid-air just as the Laguz passed him in hopes of delivering a powerful kick to the man's back, but the man blocked the kick with his sword before grabbing the Laguz's leg and throwing him into the wall before said Laguz puffed out of existence.

When the man landed in-between the clones that had kicked him up, he quickly spun around and cut through all three clones.

He then heard something behind him and he turned around to see two of the blond Laguz running towards him with what looked like a mini-hurricane in their palms.

"Hold on! Please!... I am not an enemy to Laguz." The man said and both Laguz stopped as the mini-hurricane dissipated and the clone puffed away.

"Huh? You're not? Then why are you with this town's vigilantes?" The Laguz, which was obviously Naruto asked confused.

"My name is Zihark! I joined this vigilante group because I knew it would afford me a chance to help you flee. Listen, I'll distract the townspeople. While they're worried about me, you can make good your escape." The man, now identified as Zihark said.

"Thanks… but wait! What about you?" Naruto asked.

"There's no need to worry, I'm quite strong. I'll be all right." Zihark said.

"All right, take care. Zihark-san!" Naruto said before he ran back towards where the others were, but just as he left, Zihark was surrounded by all of the town's vigilante members which were about ten guys.

"So, that's your deal, huh? You sub-human lover!" The leader of the vigilantes said as Zihark assumed a stance.

With Naruto

Naruto looked over his shoulder as he was running to see that Zihark was surrounded and he stopped dead in his tracks.

'_He might be strong, but there's no way he'll beat that many!'_ Naruto thought, but just as he was about to run back and help the guy, he got a plan before shunshining away, he had to make this quick.

With Zihark

Zihark blocked the sword of one of them before pushing him back as another one came up behind him and cut Zihark in the back, the Myrmidon then kicked the guy away before sticking him with his sword.

Another vigilante then swung his sword at Zihark, but suddenly an arrow hit the sword and the guy noticed a weird piece of paper attached to said arrow before it suddenly caught fire.

Zihark also noticed this and jumped back as the explosive tag blew up, taking three guys with it.

A sword then suddenly came out of the stomach of one of the vigilantes and when the sword went back in and out from his back the man fell down to reveal that Mia was standing behind him.

Two other vigilantes charged at Mia, but a couple of thunder bolts shot down on opposite ends of them before shooting towards eachother and frying the two in the process. And the one who had brought down the thunder bolts were none other than Ilyana.

Naruto then came down with one Rasengan in each hand before he slammed each mini-hurricane into one vigilante, now only their leader was left.

"So, you came back to help your friend, did you?" The leader of the vigilantes said before Naruto suddenly raised his left hand, which was holding an explosive tag. Rolf – who was standing in a crouched position on the wall – fired another arrow straight at the explosive tag and Naruto let go of it just in time so the arrow could take it with it as it hit the vigilante leader in the stomach. The explosive tag then caught fire.

"Oh, shi…" BOOM. He never got to finish his sentence.

Mist then came running, with her staff and she quickly put it over the wound on Zihark's back as the ball end started glowing.

"I just remembered that I forgot to introduce myself earlier, my name is Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto said as he looked at Zihark before Mist got done healing him.

"Why did you come back?" Zihark asked.

"Because there was no way that you could've held out against all of them on your own! You might be strong, but you're not _that_ strong!" Naruto said before he thought of something "Say, Zihark-san!"

"What?" Zihark asked.

"Why don't you join us? We could need one with your skills." Naruto said.

"Heh. All right, I'll join your group." Zihark said.

"Thanks." Naruto said.

With Ike

Ike charged at a Daein before swinging his sword at the guy, but the Daein blocked him. Suddenly, however, a javelin hit the Daein in shoulder and Ike quickly cut his sword through the guy before Marcia swooped down and picked up her javelin.

A Daein Myrmidon swung his sword at Brom, but it proved useless as the sword just bounced of the heavy armor without leaving a scratch, and Brom then stabbed the guy with his lance.

A Daein Lance Knight rode towards Kieran, but said Crimean knight grabbed the enemy's lance before he swung his axe at the guy.

A Daein Knight attacked Titania, but said Paladin, blocked his lance with her axe before Boyd showed up behind the guy and cut through him with his axe.

A Daein then swung his sword at Lethe, but she managed to dodge it before she rammed into the guy, killing him.

Mordecai rounded a corner just before he was hit in the leg by an arrow and two Sword Knights rode towards him. But then Oscar came up in front of him and he quickly stabbed his lance through one of the Daeins before he took down the other one as well.

"Mordecai-san, are you all right?" Rhys asked as he came over to the injured tiger. He then got out the arrow and proceeded to heal the wound, but the Daein Archer took this opportunity to fire an arrow at Rhys.

"Rhys-san, watch out!" Oscar yelled as the arrow passed him, but then Nephenee came up in front of Rhys and blocked the arrow with her shield before using her lance as a javelin and threw it at the Daein.

Volke was standing on the roof of a house as he looked down at two Daein Myrmidons and one Soldier. He then suddenly appeared behind the Soldier before cut the guy's throat. The two Myrmidons then charged at the Thief. But then, Boyd came up behind them and swung his axe, killing both of them at once.

A Daein Lance Knight rode towards Sakura, but then she took out the Wind tome that she had bought in the tome shop earlier. After she had said the incantation for a spell, a huge gust of wind suddenly blew by and the Daein fell off his horse just as Sakura threw a shuriken at his neck.

Aran blocked the lance of a Daein with his shield before he stabbed the Daein with his lance. He then noticed three Daein Sword Knights that were riding towards him, but suddenly, a powerful gust of wind that was much stronger than what you'd get from a wind tome blew by and the Daeins all was thrown into a wall. Aran then looked towards where the winds came from to see Soren, holding an El-wind tome.

At the town's entrance

Three Daein Draco-knights were guarding the bridge that led out of the town, to make sure that the Crimean army stragglers couldn't leave that way. One of the Draco-knights was easily identifiable as the ever sleepy, Ha'ar.

Suddenly three other Draco-knights – led by Jill – flew towards them.

"Commander Ha'ar-san! Awake! This is no time to be sleeping! A sub-human has been spotted! Come, let us join in the thrill of the hunt!" Jill said.

"Yaaaawn… mmm… let's not." Ha'ar said as he woke up before he continued "Even if we don't lift a finger, Mackoya-san's pups will take care of everything."

"Battle glory awaits! Would you allow others to steal this chance from beneath your very nose?" Jill said.

"Yawn. Go entertain yourself, will you? Fight a soldier or lance a peasant or… what you will. But for the love of flying, stop interrupting my sleep!" Ha'ar said.

"Ooh! You're such a…" Jill yelled.

"The fighting? Um… wake me when it's done. Yaaaaawwnn… zzzzzzz…" Ha'ar said as he fell asleep.

"That's it! I'm going by myself!" Jill yelled.

"Zzzzzz… snort! Wha…? Jill-san, hold a moment." Ha'ar said as he woke up again.

"Yes? have you changed your mind?" Jill asked.

"You'll wait here with the rest of us. we don't move unless we're attacked. That's the word from the top." Ha'ar said.

"… Graaarrr!" Jill growled, getting angry.

Outside a house in the middle of the town

Suddenly, the Black Knight walked out of the house that he had been in all this time and he looked around.

"All these men. And they're still having problems? Did I make a miscalculation?" He asked himself.

With Ike

As Ike approached the harbor, he quickly jumped to the side as an arrow came towards him, said arrow going straight through the air where he had just been. He then looked towards where the arrow had come from to see General Mackoya, who was sitting on his horse while holding a bow.

"Are you the leader of this company?" He asked.

"I am." Ike replied.

"You are the ones who freed the prisoners from our castle, were you not?" Mackoya asked.

"And if I were?" Ike asked.

"Hmm… it appears my assessment was slightly inaccurate. I believed it to be the work of Crimean soldiers who had briefly regained their morale." Mackoya said.

"Sorry to disappoint you. We're nothing but a simple company of mercenaries." Ike said.

"Ha! Would you, by chance… would you be the same mercenaries giving succor to Princess Elincia?" Mackoya asked.

"Enough talk. Move or die." Ike said before he charged at the enemy Paladin as said general put away his bow and took out a sword, a Laguz-slayer.

With Naruto

A Daein Myrmidon was sent spiraling backwards over a bridge that was at the north end of the town, close to the harbor, the cause? He had been hit by Naruto's Rasengan.

Mia then ran towards the bridge, but as she passed an alley way, the Black Knight came out of said alley way and struck his sword at her. She managed to block it with her own sword, but the powerful rider of Daein still managed to push her back.

"… Move. One such as you cannot stop me." The Black Knight said before he rose his sword and Mia saw this as an opportunity to attack seeing as the Black Knight was wide open and she took it.

She swung her sword at the knight's armor, but her sword shattered as it made contact and all she could do was watch as the Black Knight's sword came down on her.

Just as she was expecting to die however, Naruto grabbed her and quickly got out of the way of the sword as it came down and shattered the ground on impact.

'_Naruto-san…'_ Mia thought as she started blushing.

The Black Knight then looked towards the two as Naruto took a defensive stance in front of Mia-san, not wanting his friend to get killed.

"You, you're the one who killed Greil-san! You're the Black Knight, aren't you?" Naruto asked and the knight merely nodded.

The blond Laguz then quickly got a kunai in each hand and he charged at the knight.

On the roof of a nearby building was the cloaked man who had saved Ranulf's life earlier and he looked down at what Naruto was doing.

"Very brave or very foolish. Either way, there's no way he can beat one of Daein's Four Riders at this point. Especially not the Black Knight!" He said as he extended his arm and pointed it at… Naruto.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Chapter preview

The Black Knight "Don't you see? Your weapons are useless! None of you stand a chance against me!"

Naruto "Wh-who are you?"

Mysterious man "Who's to say? In the end, it doesn't really matter who I am, or who any of you are! We are all just insignificant pieces on the world's biggest shogi board. All controlled by destiny!"

Ike "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: A mysterious man with mysterious powers."

Zihark "So this is the… end. Now… I go… to…"

**Kyubi "Yes, Naruto! Let your anger grow, and draw power from the medallion! That should be enough to finish him off!"**

Character status

Naruto: Class: Genin.

Level: 19

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Supports: Ike, Soren, Mia, Sakura, Mist, Rolf, Lethe, Zihark.

Ike: class: Ranger.

Level: 17

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Oscar, Soren, Titania, Lethe.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 16

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Ike, Boyd, Mist, Sakura.

Boyd: Class: Fighter.

Level: 15

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe, hand axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Titania, Mist, Brom.

Oscar: Class: Lance knight.

Level: 16

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Ike, Aran, Kieran.

Rhys: Class: Priest.

Level: 11

Techniques: Heal, Restore.

Weapons: heal staff, mend staff, restore staff.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Titania, Mia, Rolf, Sakura, Kieran.

Soren: Class: Mage.

Level: 11

Techniques: Wind, El-wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome, El-wind tome.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Ike, Naruto.

Mia: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron sword.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Rhys, Sakura, Ilyana.

Sakura: Class: Genin.

Level: 7

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin, Thunder, Wind.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken, thunder tome, El-wind tome.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Aran, Titania, Rhys, Mia, Ilyana, Mist, Nephenee.

Aran: Class: Soldier.

Level: 13

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Sakura, Oscar.

Ilyana: Class: Mage.

Level: 10

Techniques: Thunder, El-Thunder.

Weapons: Thunder tome, El-thunder tome.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Mia, Sakura, Mordecai, Zihark.

Mist: Class: Cleric.

Level: 3

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Heal.

Weapons: heal staff.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rolf, Boyd, Titania, Naruto, Sakura, Mordecai.

Rolf: Class: Archer.

Level: 4

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Critical hit.

Weapons: Rolf's bow.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Mist, Naruto, Marcia.

Marcia: Class: Pegasus Knight.

Level: 6

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: javelin.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rolf, Kieran.

Lethe: Class: Cat.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Cat Laguz.

Supports: Naruto, Ike.

Mordecai: Class: Tiger.

Level: 4

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Tiger Laguz.

Supports: Ilyana, Mist.

Volke: Class: Thief.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: knife.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: none

Kieran: Class: Axe Knight.

Level: 13

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe, short axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Marcia, Oscar.

Brom: Class: Knight.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Nephenee, Boyd, Zihark.

Nephenee: Class: Soldier.

Level: 8

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Brom, Sakura.

Zihark: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: killing edge.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Ilyana, Brom.

Ranulf: Class: Cat.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Cat Laguz.

Sasuke: Class: Genin.

Level: 20

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin, Katon: Goukakyo, Katon: Housenka, Chidori, Doton: Moguragakure.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Phoenix Laguz.

Tibarn: Class: Hawk.

Level: 18

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Hawk Laguz.

Mackoya: Class: Paladin.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Laguz-slayer, iron bow.

Race: Beorc.

Black Knight: Class: Black Knight.

Level: 20

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Alondite.

Race: unknown

**Kurama no Kyubi:** And we leave you with that cliff-hanger. I know I said that in the last chapter Naruto would fight the Black Knight in this one and die. Well, you know how plans can get altered. Also that mysterious man was actually a guy I came up with just moments before his first appearance and I still haven't figured out what his name can be, so I'd like it if anyone could come up with suggestions. Also it must be a Naruto based name for reasons that will be explained later… much later… unless you figure them out in the next chapter. Oh, almost forgot, I know of this awesome Machinima (I think that's how it's spelled) on YouTube called Smash King. You should check it out if you've got time. It'll be worth it, trust me.


	12. A mysterious man with mysterious powers

**Naruto: Path of Radiance**

**Gallia arc**

**Kurama no Kyubi: **We're finally here, this is the last chapter of the Gallia arc and after this chapter I will continue with Tales of Shippuden. Also, I've decided to up the story's rating to M. Now on to the reviews.

**yukicrewger2:** yes naruto, I'm a fellow fox *wiggles fox ears and wags tail* I just have wings to go with them *shows off his six wings*

**Naruto:** Cool, I wish I had wings!

**Tibarn: **Hmmm. Never heard of a Laguz with both a tail and wings.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **It's possible that he isn't a Laguz, ya know!

**kalakauai:** Uzumaki's are not Laguz? Then Naruto is part branded! or is he...?

**Kurama no Kyubi: **I never said that Uzumaki weren't Laguz, I said that they weren't Fox Laguz, but they are still Laguz. I won't tell you what species though.

**kalakauai: **Zihark! Give me a break, He's going to die!?

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Just wait and see.

**kalakauai: **Hmm... Isn't Sanaki around Konohamaru's age? :3

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Yeah, I do believe that you're right.

**kalakauai: **Shogi Board? "Gravity"? Who is that Mysterious Man? An Atatsuki Memeber?

**Mysterious man:** No. I am not affiliated with the Akatsuki, though I probably know more about them than even some of their own members… don't ask me how.

**kalakauai: **Everyone, I think it's best if we not talk about the sequel just yet! Kinda Spoiling it we I think about it...

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Good point.

**the lone soul:** soo will zihark die? and do other naruto charas appear here ... pain would be funny... but i like your story so far

**Kurama no Kyubi:** you're right, Pain would be funny. But he would be _way_ over powered if he were to appear in Path of Radiance.

**Mzr90:** Cool chapter nice bonding moments between Naruto and Lethe and looks like Mia's intrested in Naruto now.

**Naruto:** She is?

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Yeah, she is.

**Mzr90: **The mysterious guy's name can be something like Arashi,Takehito or Takezo.

**Kurama no Kyubi:** Thanks.

**Mzr90: **Read a reviewer questioning Sanaki's age at this point she's ten and Naruto I'm guessing is 12 since it's before the training trip.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **Actually, I think that the first part of Naruto is supposed to last a year, so right now, Naruto is 13 and I believe that Konohamaru is actually 10 years, so Sanaki is around his age.

**Izanagi:** Nice to see that Naruto is getting attracted to Lethe and no dont kill off Zihark that would be messed up.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **I know it would be messed up, but who knows, maybe he survives.

**Izanagi: **Nice touch with the Gold and Silver lions I'm guessing when they meet Kurama will want to rip them apart.

**Kyubi: RIP THEM TO SHREDS? No what I'm gonna do to them when I see them is a zillion times worse!**

**Izanagi: **Just wondering if Fu will be making an appearance in this or the possible sequel and still voting on Sanaki.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **I haven't figured out if she'll be in this story or not yet, but she'll definitely be in the sequel, showing up at the same time as Naruto. But if she will be in this story, she'll only have a minor role and won't get any action! Also she won't be going to Tellius!

**Naruto: **On with the story.

"Fire Emblem." Normal speech

'_Fire Emblem.'_ Normal thought

"**Fire Emblem." Biju and transformed Laguz speech**

'_**Fire Emblem.' **_**Biju and Transformed Laguz thought**

**Ranulf:** Kurama no Kyubi doesn't own anything… except for his OCs.

Chapter 11: A mysterious man with mysterious powers

A Daein Myrmidon was sent spiraling backwards over a bridge that was at the north end of the town, close to the harbor, the cause? He had been hit by Naruto's Rasengan.

Mia then ran towards the bridge, but as she passed an alley way, the Black Knight came out of said alley way and struck his sword at her. She managed to block it with her own sword, but the powerful rider of Daein still managed to push her back.

"… Move. One such as you cannot stop me." The Black Knight said before he rose his sword and Mia saw this as an opportunity to attack seeing as the Black Knight was wide open and she took it.

She swung her sword at the knight's armor, but her sword shattered as it made contact and all she could do was watch as the Black Knight's sword came down on her.

Just as she was expecting to die however, Naruto grabbed her and quickly got out of the way of the sword as it came down and shattered the ground on impact.

'Naruto-san…' Mia thought as she started blushing.

The Black Knight then looked towards the two as Naruto took a defensive stance in front of Mia-san, not wanting his friend to get killed.

"You, you're the one who killed Greil-san! You're the Black Knight, aren't you?" Naruto asked and the knight merely nodded.

The blond Laguz then quickly got a kunai in each hand and he charged at the knight.

On the roof of a nearby building was the cloaked man who had saved Ranulf's life earlier and he looked down at what Naruto was doing.

"Very brave or very foolish. Either way, there's no way he can beat one of Daein's Four Riders at this point. Especially not the Black Knight!" He said as he extended his arm and pointed it at… Naruto.

Land of Fire, Konoha

The village of Konohagakure no sato was a peaceful village with people going about doing their daily business. Shinobi were either leaving the village to go on missions or coming back from missions with some just resting or training.

Inside the Hokage tower was team 8, consisting of Jonin sensei Yuhi Kurenai and her three charges, Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuga Hinata and Aburame Shino, team 10 consisting of Jonin sensei Sarutobi Asuma and his three charges, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji and Yamanaka Ino and team Guy, consisting of Jonin sensei Might Guy and his three charges, Rock Lee, Hyuga Neji and Tenten and in front of them, sitting at the Hokage desk were none other than the village leader, the Godaime Hokage, Senju Tsunade and standing next to her was her assistant, Shizune. And on the desk in front of her was the letter that Naruto had sent earlier via Gamakichi.

"Naruto believes that thanks to him and the rest of his team being there, the Daeins now knows that there are countries on this side of the desert too! So it might be possible that they've sent soldiers to cross the desert and possibly try to take over the elemental countries. Teams 8, 10 and Guy, your mission is to scout the borders of the Land of Fire and if you spot anyone wearing black armor, contact Konoha immediately! This is an A-rank mission! Dismissed!" Tsunade said and everyone left the room.

Kurenai had long black hair, red eyes and white clothes. She also had her Konoha Hitai-ate on her forehead and there was a strange black mark on her left hand.

Kiba had spiky brown hair, slitted eyes, he wore a grey jacket and brown pants. He also had a grey dog-like tail coming out of his back and his Konoha Hitai-ate was on his forehead.

Hinata had short blue hair with two bangs going down, one on either side of her face. She also had completely white eyes and wore a white jacket and blue pants. She also had a white cat-like tail coming from her back and her Konoha Hitai-ate was wrapped around her neck.

Shino had spiky brown hair, his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, and he wore a grey jacket and brown pants. His Konoha Hitai-ate was on his forehead.

Asuma had black hair, pointy ears and he wore the normal Chunin/Jonin uniform. He also had his Konoha Hitai-ate on his forehead.

Shikamaru had black hair in a small spiky ponytail, he wore a Chunin/Jonin vest and black shorts. He also had a weird mark on his forehead and his Konoha Hitai-ate was on his left bicep.

Choji had brown spiky hair, he wore a green jacket with a white short underneath which had the kanji for food on it. He also had a white scarf around his neck and he had brown pants. He also had his Konoha Hitai-ate on his forehead.

Ino had blond hair in a ponytail and bangs that covered the right side of her face, green eyes and she wore a purple vest like blouse with a raised collar and a skirt that was cut off on the sides and bandage on her stomach and legs. She also had a small black, round mark on her left shoulder and her Konoha Hitai-ate was wrapped around her waist.

Guy had black hair and large eyebrows. He wore a Chunin/Jonin vest and underneath was a green spandex suit. He also had a green tiger-like tail coming out of his back and his Konoha Hitai-ate was wrapped around his waist.

Lee had black hair and large eyebrows just like his sensei. He also wore a green spandex suit, had a green cat-like tail coming out of his back and he had his Konoha Hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead.

Neji had long black hair, completely white eyes and he wore a white jacket and brown shorts. He also had a white cat-like tail coming out of his back and his Konoha Hitai-ate was on his forehead.

Tenten had black hair in two buns, black eyes and she wore a pink sleeveless blouse and dark green pants. She also had her Konoha Hitai-ate on her forehead.

Support conversations

Shikamaru/Choji – support C

"Hey, Shikamaru!" Choji said as he approached the ever-lazy Chunin.

"Choji, what's up?" Shikamaru asked.

"I was just wondering, since these Daeins comes from the other side of the desert, then why don't we just come to them?" Choji asked.

"It's not as simple as that, Choji. The Desert of Death isn't easy to cross. Not even many ninja would be able to get through it alive." Shikamaru said and Choji gulped.

"But then, how could the Daeins have crossed the desert?" Choji asked.

"It's a drag, but that's what I've been trying to figure out as well!" Shikamaru said.

Neji/Hinata – support C

"Neji-nii-san, do you think that Naruto-kun and his team are all right?" Hinata asked as she and her cousin walked towards the Hyuga estate.

"I would be surprised if they weren't." Neji stated.

"But nii-san, I heard that they had gotten split up. And so far Naruto-kun's only managed to find Sakura-san. Do you think Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun are all right?" Hinata said.

"They probably are, our real concern right now should be the Daein forces that are probably here in the elemental countries. Odds are that their commander is one of Daein's Four Riders. And from the information we have, the riders would easily qualify as Kage level!" Neji said.

"I-I hope that we w-won't have to f-fight th-them." Hinata said.

"Don't worry, Hinata-sama! If anything happens, I'll protect you!" Neji said.

Guy/Lee – support C

"Alright, Lee. Are you ready to take down those Daeins?" Guy asked.

"YES, GUY-SENSEI!" Lee yelled before he noticed a sad look on Guy-sensei's face and he asked "Guy-sensei, is there something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing, Lee. Come on, let's get some training done." Guy said before running of.

"Alright, Guy-sensei!" Lee yelled before ran after.

Support conversations end

Info conversations

Elders

Tsunade was sitting at her desk, facing the enemy that all other Kage had to face, paper work, when the door opened and the last two people that she wanted to see entered.

"Tsunade-hime, look where your carelessness have gotten us! First the Jinchuriki vanishes and now we're on the brink of war with a nation we previously didn't know even existed!" An older woman named Koharu said.

"And to make things worse, there's no doubt that Iwa will take this opportunity to attack us!" An older man named Homura said.

"You should send a group of ANBU to get the Jinchuriki back to the village, by force if they have to." Koharu said.

"Look, if Naruto wants to stay in Tellius for now, that's his choice, not yours!" Tsunade said.

"Now, listen here…" Homura started, but Tsunade cut him off.

"No, you listen! Naruto is a shinobi of this village and as a shinobi he's on a mission in Tellius. Besides if they can bring a stop to the Daein king, then the war would end here too!" Tsunade yelled and seeing as she couldn't be persuaded, the two elders left… maybe they should go to someone else instead… someone like Danzo. **(Kurama no Kyubi: If this was a game – which I'd hope it could have been – then if you had skipped this Info conversation, you'd miss an entire chapter where the Greil Mercenaries will fight a group of ROOT operatives!)**

Info conversations end

The elemental countries were a group of nations that each had their own ninja village. The Land of Fire which was one of the five principle nations could be found on the south-east side of the continent. In this land was the biggest and strongest of the ninja villages, Konohagakure no sato, which is Naruto's home village. After receiving a letter from Naruto that he believed that Daein might have set their sights on the elemental countries, the Godaime Hokage – Konoha's fifth leader – Senju Tsunade sent three teams to patrol the borders of the land in case Naruto's suspicions are correct.

Konoha, west gates

Shortly after they had been briefed about their mission, teams 8, 10 and Guy met eachother at the gates out of the village after their preparations were done.

"All right people, let's go and show those Daeins the power of YOUTH!" Guy yelled while wiggling his tail and everyone but Lee and Shino winced at the last word.

"He does know that this is only a reconnaissance mission, right?" Ino asked.

"Just don't tell him that." Neji said.

"Huh? Why?" Ino asked.

"Trust me!" The Cat Laguz replied.

Crimea, Port Toha

The mysterious man aimed his arm at Naruto, seemingly about to use an attack when suddenly, a javelin was thrown towards him and he was forced to jump back. He then looked towards where the projectile had come from to see Marcia who's riding on her Pegasus.

"What were you planning to do?" Marcia asked, but the man didn't respond.

With Naruto

Naruto charged at the Black Knight and blocked the knight's sword with one of his two kunai before bringing his other kunai in for a stabbing motion towards one of the slash-marks in the armor, the same marks that he himself had made about a month earlier. However, the marks weren't deep enough to go through the armor so the kunai didn't do any damage at all and the Black Knight punched Naruto so hard that he was sent flying into a house.

Suddenly, two thunder bolts appeared on either side of the knight and they started moving towards eachother and when they hit one-another an even more powerful thunder bolt shot down and hit the knight. However it didn't seem to be doing any damage whatsoever.

Zihark then charged at the knight and swung his killing edge at the knight's armor, but it didn't even leave a scratch and the Black Knight then struck his sword at him. Zihark jumped back however and just barely avoided the strike, but then what no one had expected happened. A crescent-shaped energy wave shot out from the blade and sent Zihark flying backwards before he impacted with a house and Mist ran over to him to heal his wounds.

The Black Knight then prepared to do what he had just done again, but arrows suddenly started hitting his armor and bouncing off. The knight looked towards where the arrows came from to see Rolf.

'_What's with this guy? Nothing we throw at him is working!'_ Naruto thought as he managed to stand back up on his feet.

"**There is a way that you can beat him!"** A voice rang in his head.

'_Kyubi? What is it that you want now?' _Naruto wondered.

"**Just let my power run through your body and at the end of the day, that Daein will be history!" **Kyubi said.

'_Sorry, but I have other ways of getting the strength I need!'_ Naruto though before he took out the Laguz stone from his weapons pouch and held it up before shouting "Transform!"

Everyone then looked at him as he changed into his fox form as the Laguz stone suddenly cracked and shattered.

"**Let's see who's strongest now!"** Naruto said before he charged at the Black Knight, but to everyone's surprise, said knight easily managed to dodge Naruto's charge despite the heavy armor.

"Hmmm. I haven't fought a Fox Laguz before, this should prove to be interesting." The Black Knight said before bringing Alondite above his head and swinging it down, creating another crescent-shaped energy wave.

Naruto dodged the energy wave however and charged at the powerful knight. The Black Knight swung his sword towards Naruto, but said Laguz easily dodged the sword and rammed into the knight with his claws, but it had no effect.

'_**What?'**_ Naruto thought before the Black Knight attempted to cut him with Alondite, but Naruto managed to jump back at the last second and avoid the lethal strike.

"**See, kid? You're only chance is to use my chakra! After all, how do you think his armor got those claw marks?"** Kyubi said inside Naruto's mind.

Flashback

Naruto then jumped at the Black Knight, but said knight just drew his sword and rammed it straight through Naruto with no hesitation before he threw the blond's lifeless body into the wall on the opposite end of the room.

"NARUTO!" Ike, Boyd and Rhys yelled, but suddenly everyone's eyes widened when Naruto stood back up and his wound seemed to heal itself.

"Seems like there's more to you than meets the eye, boy!" The Black Knight said as a fourth tail suddenly sprouted and the young Laguz's skin peeled off and the cloak got a physical appearance.

Naruto let out a powerful roar, sending out a shockwave which swept everyone but Greil, Titania, Gatrie, Oscar, Ranulf and the Black Knight off their feet. Then he thrusted his arm forward and it extended towards the Black Knight and said knight was surprised when his armor actually got four slash-marks on it, only weapons, blessed by the Goddess should be capable of that!

Naruto then jumped into the air towards the Black Knight, but the Black Knight tried to stab him like he had done before. This time however, his sword wasn't able to get through Naruto's skin at all, and he just threw the four-tailed red fox away.

Flashback end

"**You can only defeat him with my help!"** Kyubi said.

'_**Very well, you stupid fox.'**_ Naruto thought before red chakra started coming up around him and his eyes turned red as his claws and fangs became longer.

"So, you're trying to defeat me by using that power again, huh?" The Black Knight said as the cloak was fully formed around Naruto.

Zihark – who had been healed by Mist – then stood up on his feet before he picked up a steel sword that was lying there and threw it over to Mia.

Both Myrmidons then attempted to charge at the knight, but the Black Knight just swung his sword and sent a crescent-shaped energy wave at them. While Mia was merely knocked unconscious, Zihark sustained lethal injuries. But seeing Mia getting hurt was still enough for Naruto to – for some unknown reason – become angry enough for his second tail to grow out faster.

"So this is the… end. Now… I go… to…" Zihark closed his eyes, waiting to die, but nothing happened and when he opened his eyes again, he saw that he was engulfed in a golden light and he looked up to see a man wearing brown robes standing over him.

Marcia's Pegasus then landed in the street as its master looked at what the mysterious man was doing.

"Zihark-san!" Mist yelled as she ran over to check if Zihark was alright and she was surprised to see that his injuries had all vanished.

The man then looked towards Naruto, who had grown a second tail. Then suddenly something hanging around Mist's neck started glowing and the young girl took out her medallion to see that it was glowing in a blue flame.

'_That's…'_ The Black Knight thought as he looked at the medallion that Mist was holding. Then a trail of blue flames suddenly flew towards Naruto as he grew a third tail before a fourth one started growing.

**"Yes, Naruto! Let your anger grow, and draw power from the medallion! That should be enough to finish him off!" **Kyubi said, but then the mysterious man put his hand over the medallion, cutting off the power that Kyubi was using to speed up Naruto's transformation.

Naruto's mindscape

Naruto – in his humanoid form – was standing in front of a large cage and on the other side of said cage was none other than Kyubi no Yoko, most powerful of the nine Biju.

'**What? How could that guy stop me from absorbing the Goddesses power? And more importantly, why didn't he go berserk?'** The powerful Biju thought before he looked down on Naruto and said **"Take as much of my chakra as you want, kid. It's all free!"**

"I don't think that'd be a good idea!" Naruto and Kyubi then looked towards where the voice came from to see the mysterious man.

"**YOU! How'd you get in here?"** Kyubi growled.

"That is not important right now. I'm here to make sure that your seal stays strong!" The mysterious man said before extending his right arm and pointing it towards the seal tag "The Pegasus Knight stopped me from doing this earlier, but she can't interfere with me now!"

Suddenly, a beam of light shot out of his hand and crashed into the seal tag as Kyubi's cage seemed to get smaller.

"**How's this possible?"** Kyubi said before he looked down on the man before seeing his face **"You! I remember you now! You're that guy from 13 years ago! When Kushina tried to hold me down with her Chakra Chains, she didn't have enough strength to hold me down **_**and**_** hold up a barrier at the same time, someone was supplying here with chakra from the outside! And that someone was YOU! And it was also you who helped her achieve her transformed state."**

"And what if it was? You have no power in here Kyubi!" The man said before what looked like a barrier of light appeared in front of the cage.

The real world

Naruto opened his eyes to see that he no longer had Kyubi's cloak covering his body and he wasn't in his transformed state either as he looked at the Black Knight before making the Kage Bunshin hand sign.

Phoenicis, training field

Sasuke was lying on the ground in his humanoid form as Tibarn landed next to him as he reverted back.

"**Seems like **I won't be telling you how I know about jutsus." Tibarn said as Sasuke struggled to raise himself off the ground.

"I-I'm not done yet!" He said, but then he just fell back down before trying to get up again. As Tibarn watched it, he couldn't help but remembering the last young phoenix he had met.

Flashback

Tibarn had spotted a Phoenix Laguz, a species thought to have been extinct. The phoenix was unconscious, so he brought the kid to his palace in Phoenicis. The phoenix – who was apparently named Uchiha Obito – stayed for several days, of course Tibarn didn't want the last known phoenix to just up and leave, so when one of his friends showed up it only meant trouble, especially when they tried to escape.

Two pre-teens were currently running through the corridors of the Castle Phoenicis. One of them was a Beorc which had silver hair that was leaning to the side, he had a mask covering the lower parts of his face, he had a tanto on his back and his Hitai-ate was on his forehead. This was Hatake Kakashi, a Chunin of Konohagakure.

The other one had spiky black hair, black eyes with goggles in front of them and he wore a blue t-shirt with a red and white fan on the back which was in-between his two phoenix wings. His Hitai-ate was on his forehead. This was Uchiha Obito, a Genin of Konohagakure.

The two pre-teens eventually came out of the palace and ran along a cliff-road as several hawks came to try and stop them.

Kakashi quickly got a kunai and wrapped an explosive tag around it before he threw it towards the hawks. When the kunai reached the Laguz, it blew up and several of the hawks fell down to the cliffs below.

"I can see a cave up ahead, they can't follow us in there!" Obito said.

"Alright, then!" Kakashi said as they ran into the cave.

The hawks then stopped, not wanting to go into a cave where they couldn't see before Tibarn came flying together with his eyes and ears.

"Report." Tibarn said.

"**The human and the phoenix entered into that cave down there!"** One of the hawks said as he pointed at the cave with his wing.

"I see. Ulki!" Tibarn said as he looked at his ears.

"Understood." Ulki said before transforming and flying into the cave. For most birds it would be dangerous flying into a dark place because they can't see well in dark places, but Ulki wasn't as dependent on his eye-sight due to his sensitive ears.

Obito looked over his shoulder to see that someone was fast approaching them, and he knew immediately who it was. **(Kurama no Kyubi: In case you're wondering how it is that Obito can see pretty well in the cave, it's because he's a phoenix, they are the one exception to the rule that says that Bird-Tribe Laguz can't see well in the dark. Some believe that it's because their wings gives of light in dark places, but the light isn't really strong enough for the cave to be illuminated.)**

"Hey, Kakashi! We've got a problem!" Obito said.

"I thought you said that they couldn't follow us in here, you dobe!" Kakashi said, getting a little frustrated.

"I know, but the one following us doesn't require his eyes to spot us. he's using his ears!" Obito said.

"His ears, you say?" Kakashi asked as he started weaving a couple of hand signs.

"Hai!" Obito said, wondering what the teme had planned now.

'_This jutsu is still far from complete, but if I can time it right, it should be enough to finish this!'_ Kakashi thought before his right hand suddenly got enshrouded by lightning and the chirping of a thousand birds could be heard.

'_**What is that? It sounds like birds, but in here? And it seems to be coming from every direction!'**_ Ulki thought as he continued to chase the two shinobi, but he was having trouble hearing them any longer due to the chirping sounds. Suddenly he heard something other than chirping to his left and he just barely managed to avoid getting the Chidori in his chest and it instead impacted with his right wing.

Ulki fell to the ground and reverted to his humanoid form as Kakashi ran further into the cave.

Before long however, they came out of the cave and entered into a wide area. And ten hawks along with the still not transformed Tibarn and Janaff appeared above them as Kakashi drew his tanto.

"Get ready, dobe! Here they come!" Kakashi said as the hawks charged at them.

"Very well, Kakashi-teme!" Obito said as he a kunai from his pouch.

They then charged at the hawks, but suddenly, Tibarn raised his hand and the hawks stopped.

"Hold it, men! If they could beat Ulki, they're way out of your league. I'll take care of them myself!" Tibarn said before he transformed.

"The king, huh?" Kakashi asked before Tibarn charged at them, but Obito flew up into the air and attempted to stab his kunai into the hawk king. But Tibarn managed to dodge it, however Kakashi then ran up the mountain wall and when he reached a suitable height, he jumped off and attempted to strike Tibarn with his tanto.

Tibarn however saw the attack coming and moved out of the way so that Kakashi only fell back down to the ground.

Obito then threw his kunai at Tibarn, but the hawk simply just avoided it, however he noticed a piece of paper that had been attached to it just before said tag caught fire and blew up.

However, Tibarn had managed to avoid the explosion at the last second, but just then the air was filled with the sound of chirping birds as Kakashi came up behind the hawk king with lightning engulfing his right hand.

As Kakashi moved closer to Tibarn however, the hawk king twirled around and hit the Chunin with his left wing, causing the Chidori to dissipate as Kakashi was sent flying towards some sharp cliffs.

Luckily, Obito managed to catch him as Tibarn charged at the two.

"Kakashi-teme, can you use that jutsu again?" Obito asked.

"No, I can only manage two uses a day!" Kakashi said.

"Alright, then. In that case, get on my back!" Obito said.

"What? Why should I do that, dobe?" Kakashi yelled.

"Just do it!" Obito said and Kakashi did as he was told. When the silver-haired Beorc was on the phoenix's back, said phoenix started weaving a series of hand signs.

'_I hope this works. I still haven't mastered this jutsu.'_ Obito thought before he ended the sequence of hand signs with the Tora sign "Katon: Goukakyo no jutsu." Obito then fired a large fire ball at Tibarn while triumphantly thinking '_I did it, I mastered the Goukakyo! If only tou-san could see me now!'_

There was no time for celebration however, as Tibarn came out of the smoke cloud – which had been created when the fire ball impacted with him – and he rammed into the two pre-teens who then fell down towards the ground.

'_I won't let it end like this, I still haven't beaten up Kakashi-teme and I haven't told Rin-chan how I feel about her!'_ Obito thought before he opened his eyes to reveal a Sharingan with only one tormoe in each eye as he was suddenly engulfed by a red glow.

As said blow disappeared however, something flew out of it and managed to catch Kakashi who landed on its back.

When the Chunin got into a sitting position, he saw that he was on top a large bird that was at least twice as big as Tibarn. It was covered in fiery red feathers, making it look like it's on fire, it had a crimson beak and razor sharp talons. Its eyes had a black sclera and the pupils looked like… a fully evolved Sharingan? And its Hitai-ate was wrapped around its neck while the goggles were still in front of its eyes.

"Obito, you…" Kakashi said shocked.

"**I see that the stories were right, phoenixes **_**are**_** the biggest birds!"** Tibarn said before he charged at them.

Even though Tibarn was now moving in top speed however, Obito was able to see and predict his every move and easily avoided the hawk king.

As Obito moved faster, Kakashi noted that his wings looked like they were burning. Wait a minute, that wasn't his feathers, that was actual flames… of course, he's a phoenix, a mythological bird that's often affiliated with fire. Kakashi also noted that the faster Obito flew, the bigger and brighter, the flames got.

"Obito, use a Goukakyo!" Kakashi said.

"… **Um, Kakashi-teme, I don't know if you haven't noticed, but I don't have any hands!"** Obito said.

"You dobe, you don't need any hands for a Goukakyo while you're in this form! Just do what you did earlier when you used a Goukakyo, just without hand signs." Kakashi said.

"**Alright."** Obito said before he looked at Tibarn as he focused his chakra in his stomach and pushed it up, through his neck before firing a fire ball that was at least ten times the size of a normal Goukakyo out of his mouth.

The fire ball shot at Tibarn and hit him head on as Kakashi looked up into the sky to see where the sun was and he quickly figured out which direction was north.

"Obito, fly in that direction!" Kakashi said as he pointed north and Obito did as he was told.

As they flew north, however, Tibarn came towards them again, trying to stop them from leaving.

'_Let's see… he's of the Bird-Tribe, so his weakness would be… wind.'_ Kakashi thought before he asked "Obito, you wouldn't happen to have any wind jutsus that you've been holding out on me, would you?"

"**I'm a giant fire bird, what do you think?"** Obito said.

"Of course." Kakashi said with a dumbfound expression on his face.

Flashback end

Tibarn smiled slightly at the memory, he might have – in the end – let Obito and Kakashi go, but from what he gathered, their teamwork seemed to have improved, though they still hated eachother's guts at the end.

"I'm… not… done yet!" Sasuke said as he managed to stand up on his feet.

"Yes, you are!" Tibarn said as he simply flicked his finger at the Uchiha's forehead and said Uchiha fell down and into the world of unconsciousness.

Land of Fire, forest, near border to the Land of Valleys

Teams 8, 10 and Guy had split up to cover more ground. At team 8's location, Kiba along with his dog, Akamaru used their sensitive noses to smell if there where anything out of the ordinary. Hinata had her Byakugan activated and Shino had his beetles scout the area.

At team 10's location, Ino was the only one who was looking for any enemies while the others hid. Ino was currently using one of her clan's secret jutsus to go into the mind of a bird and search the area from the sky.

At team Guy's location, Neji had his Byakugan activated while the other three were waiting.

"Neji, do you see anything?" Guy asked and the Hyuga shook his head.

"No." He simply said before a voice suddenly rang in everyone's heads.

'This is Inoichi in Konoha! Tsunade-sama wants to know if you've found anything.' The Yamanaka clan head said.

'No, we of team 8 haven't found anything.' Came Kurenai's voice.

"We of team Guy haven't found anything either." Guy said.

'Alright. What about team 10?" Inoichi asked.

'We don't know yet, Ino's currently inside a bird's mind.' Came Asuma's voice.

With team 10

"We don't know yet, Ino's currently inside a bird's mind." Asuma said before Ino's eyes suddenly opened.

"Did you see anyone, Ino?" Choji asked.

"Hai. I saw about 20 guys and they were all dressed in black!" Ino said.

'Dressed in black, you say? That'd be the Daeins!' Came Guy's voice.

'You should all regroup and wait for further orders!' Inoichi said before cutting off the connection.

It didn't take long before team Guy and team 8 arrived at team 10's location.

"Have the Daeins made any moves yet?" Guy asked.

"Ino's off checking it out now." Asuma said.

With Ino

Ino – in the mind of a bird – flew over a small clearing in the forest and looked down on twenty Daein troops that were apparently camping in the clearing.

'_It's not enough for a full-scale assault on any ninja village, so that's probably just a scouting party.'_ Ino thought before she suddenly spotted two others that walked into the camp.

They had fairly similar looks, both of them wore Kumo armor and they also had Kumo Hitai-ates. One of them had a mane of long golden hair while the other one had a mane of long silver hair. They also both had lion-like tails that had the same color as their hair and they also had two black horns sticking up from their hair. The one with golden hair had a weird rope wrapped around his left arm while the other one was carrying a gourd.

'_What are Kumo ninja doing here?'_ Ino thought as the two men walked towards the Daein forces, said forces immediately getting on their feet and saluting as though their superior officer just appeared.

"Report." The one with golden hair said.

"We haven't seen anyone yet, General Kinkaku-sama, General Ginkaku-sama." The captain of the scouts said.

'_Kinkaku and Ginkaku? Where have I heard those names before?'_ Ino wondered as she listened to the conversation from a nearby branch that she had landed on.

"You haven't seen anyone, you say? then what about that one?" Ginkaku said as he pointed towards Ino.

"But sir, that's just a bird." The Daein said.

"Konoha's Yamanaka clan possesses the ability to transport their own minds into other living beings, whether it's a human, a sub-human or an animal." Kinkaku said.

"We want you to take out whatever Konoha team of shinobi has spotted you and make it quick, Captain Takota!" Ginkaku said before he and his brother left as Ino released the Shintenshin.

With the others

Ino suddenly opened her eyes as she returned to her own body.

"Ino, has the enemy made any move?" Shikamaru asked.

"Not yet, but that's not important right now." Ino said as she sat up.

"W-what d-d-do you m-mean, Ino-san?" Hinata asked.

"I saw two people that had Kumo Hitai-ates on their foreheads and from the looks and sounds of things, they're Generals in the Daein army!" Ino said.

"Wait, has Kumo allied themselves with Daein?" Choji asked.

"No, if they had the Daeins wouldn't have been here right now and there'd be more Kumo-nins." Shikamaru said.

"They said that their names were Kinkaku and Ginkaku." Ino said.

"That's impossible!" Guy said.

"Huh? Why's that Guy-sensei?" Tenten asked as she looked at her sensei.

"Kinkaku and Ginkaku were the Gold & Silver brothers who once attempted to kill the Nidaime Hokage and the Nidaime Raikage!" Asuma said.

"The Gold & Silver brothers? But they died a long time ago, didn't they?" Shikamaru said.

"When Orochimaru fought Sandaime-sama, didn't he use a jutsu to resurrect the Nidaime and Shodai Hokage?" Kurenai said.

"Yes, but I doubt that's what was done here. After all, the Gold & Silver brother's bodies were never found, they could have gone to Tellius." Asuma said.

"Yes, I believe that you're right. They did once make an appearance in Tellius too!" Guy said and everyone looked at him, surprised that he'd know something like that.

"And how did you know that?" Kiba asked as Akamaru let out a bark.

"I'm not originally from Konoha." Guy said.

"Yes, I remember. You were supposedly found in a destroyed village by team Minato during the war." Asuma said.

"Actually, that was only a cover story. In truth, I'm from the Begnion Empire in Tellius!" Guy said.

"Guy-sensei, you're from Tellius?" Lee asked.

"Yes, Team Minato once came to Tellius a long time ago and when they were going to leave, I wanted to come with them!" Guy said before Neji noticed something.

"We've got company, there's about twenty Daeins just about a kilometer to the north of us!" The Hyuga prodigy said.

"We still haven't had any word from Konoha, we can't do anything yet." Asuma said just before they heard a familiar voice in their heads.

'Can everyone hear me? This is Inoichi again.' The voice said.

"We hear you loud and clear, Inoichi-san." Asuma said.

'Have there been any sign of movement from the Daeins?' Inoichi asked.

"They've moved closer to us. And it also seems that they have the Gold & Silver brothers with them." Neji said.

'The Gold & Silver brothers?' Inoichi asked.

"Hai, but they left the scouting party that I had spotted." Ino said.

"It's possible that they might be the generals of the Daein invasion force." Asuma said.

'Yes, that's quite likely. Hold on, Tsunade-sama wants to talk to you.' Inoichi said before the Hokage's voice came through.

'Ino, how many Daein soldiers did you see?' She asked.

"25." Ino replied.

'Alright, then I order you to dispose of them immediately!" Tsunade ordered.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Everyone present said before the connection was cut.

With Naruto

Naruto was sent skidding backwards by the Black Knight before he threw the two kunais that he was holding and both of them blew up as they reached the knight. Naruto then quickly weaved a series of hand signs.

"Futon: Kamikaze no jutsu." He called out before blowing a huge gust of wind at the knight, but all it did was blow away the smoke and the Black Knight didn't seem to have sustained any injury at all.

"You won't be able to beat him like that." The mysterious man said as he pulled up the sleeve on his left arm to reveal a storage seal on his wrist and with his other hand, he made a one-handed hand sign and in a puff of smoke appeared a sword.

The sword had a golden handle while the blade was a bronze color.

"Black Knight, with this sword, I am gonna make sure that you won't harm anyone else today!" The man said before charging at the knight.

The Black Knight managed to block the strike, but he was puzzled when he saw the masked man smirking under his hood. Suddenly the knight fell to his knees as though gravity itself had turned against him.

"My Juryoku no Kiba (Fang of Gravity) has the ability to freely manipulate gravity, you don't stand a chance against me!" The man said.

"Heh. I see, you must be very lucky to have found that sword!" The Black Knight said as he slowly managed to get up on his feet.

"You've heard of this sword?" The man asked.

"Yes. It's one of seven swords that each can manipulate one of the seven strongest elements, in this case, gravity!" The Black Knight said before thinking '_But how is that possible? Those swords disappeared a thousand years ago.'_

"You're right, this is one of those seven swords, so you should know that you don't stand a chance against me now!" The man said, but the Black Knight then jumped back away from the mysterious man.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I've heard that it takes a lot of energy to wield one of those blades. In fact it takes so much energy that only the strongest of all Laguz species have ever been able to wield them." The Black Knight said before he suddenly disappeared.

"Only the strongest of all Laguz species? What species is that?" Naruto asked.

"The Golden-Dragon Laguz!" The man said as he sealed the sword back into his wrist.

"Golden-Dragon Laguz?" Naruto asked.

"I've heard of them. They're said to have been the gods of all Laguz, but they disappeared a thousand years ago." Zihark said.

"That's true." The man said as he pulled up the sleeve on his right arm to reveal another seal and as he made a one-handed hand sign a sword that was still in its scabbard appeared. The man then walked over to Naruto and handed him the sword "This is another one of the seven swords, it's called Kyukiri no Kiba and its element is chakra." The man said. **(Kurama no Kyubi: I wasn't able to think of anything else, I had already figured out the other six elements, but I wasn't able to come up with the seventh one, so I just had chakra be an element.)**

Naruto looked at the scabbard and noticed that there were ten circles on it. Starting from the bottom and up, the first one was a silver circle with the kanji for chakra in it (said kanji having a gold color), the second one was red and had a black tormoe in it on the bottom left side. The third one was red like the last one, but this time it had two black tormoes in it, one on the bottom right and the other on the top left. The fourth one looked just like a fully evolved Sharingan and the fifth one was completely white. The sixth one was red with three black circles in it that had black lines connecting each other, the seventh one looked just like the one below except that it also had black lines that came out of each of the other black lines and went out to the edges of the circle. The eight one looked like a white swirl. The ninth one was purple and had four rings in it like a ripple pattern that was centered on the center. And finally the tenth and final circle looked like the yin-yang mark except that it was golden instead.

The mysterious man then jumped up on the building that he had been standing on earlier before he started to walk away, but he was stopped when Naruto called out to him.

"Hey, wait a minute!" He said and the man stopped "Wh-who are you?"

"Who's to say? In the end, it doesn't really matter who I am, or who any of you are! We are all just insignificant pieces on the world's biggest shogi board. All controlled by destiny!" The man said without looking back.

"Destiny? Don't give me that crap!" Naruto yelled.

"Oh? So you don't believe in destiny, do you?" The man asked.

"No I don't! There was someone who said that it was my destiny to lose to him, but guess what? I won!" Naruto said.

"He was wrong!" The man stated.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"He believed that it was your fate to lose to him, but he was wrong. The one that destiny had chosen to win that battle was _you_! Our past, our present and even our future have all been decided by destiny. We all have an important role to play in the grand scheme of things, even the tiniest of creatures." The man said.

"Then what's your role?" Naruto asked.

"Who's to say? Maybe I'll tell you some other time!" The man said before he suddenly vanished.

Land of Fire, forest, near border to the Land of Valleys

The three teams of Konoha shinobi were in the trees, looking down at the Daein scouts.

"Alright, everyone. IKUZO!" Guy said before all of them jumped down towards the Daeins.

Asuma took out his chakra blades and quickly cut through the throat of one of the Daeins.

"We're under attack!" A nearby Daein yelled before he too was cut down by Asuma.

With Takota

A Daein soldier ran up to Takota.

"Takota-taichou! Konoha's forces are attacking!" The soldier yelled.

"Yes, I thought they might do something soon. Everyone get ready for battle!" Takota said as he drew his sword.

With the Konoha-nins

"Konoha Senpou." Lee called out as he roundhouse kicked a Daein, sending him flying straight through a tree.

A Daein Knight tried to stab Neji with his lance, but the Hyuga prodigy simply sidestepped it before launching out with a palm strike that hit the Knight on the chest over his heart before he fell down, dead.

"Heh heh. Let's see you dodge this, sub-human." A Daein Archer said as he and three other Archers had surrounded Hinata and they all fired arrows at her simultaneously.

"KAITEN." Hinata called out however as she started spinning, creating a sphere of chakra around her and the arrows simply bounced right off.

"What…?" The Daein Archer said before he found out that he couldn't move and he looked down on the ground to see a shadow that stretched from him and went over to a Konoha-nin.

"Kagemane, success!" Shikamaru said as he had captured all four Archers before a large ball suddenly came rolling and Hinata jumped out of the way before said ball rolled over the Daeins.

Three Daeins suddenly found themselves trapped in a tree before Kurenai came out of the tree's bark above them, kunai in hand and she slit the throat of all three.

Kiba and Akamaru – who had transformed into a copy of his master – were standing on all four as they stared at two Daein Lance Knights before they charged at them.

"Gatsuuga." Kiba called out as both he and Akamaru started to spin with great speed towards the Daeins before shooting right through them.

A Daein Myrmidon sliced his sword straight through Shino as he smirked, believing that he managed to kill one of them, but suddenly, the ninja's body turned into a swarm of insects and said insects then covered every part of the Daeins body as he screamed.

Two Myrmidons, one Fighter and one Soldier had surrounded Tenten, who – for the moment – seemed unarmed. One of the Myrmidons then charged at her and she quickly got a kunai as she dodged the Daeins sword and then she threw the kunai into the Daeins neck before taking his sword as the second Myrmidon charged at her.

She blocked the Daeins sword before pushing him back and then cutting through him with her own sword as the Fighter came up behind her, but she kicked him so hard that he dropped his short axe and she grabbed it before throwing it into him.

The Soldier then charged at her, but she jumped over him and landed behind him before cut through him with the sword. She then noticed another Daein that came towards her and she picked up the javelin of the Soldier that she'd just killed and threw it at the Daein that was coming towards her.** (Kurama no Kyubi: Yeah, Tenten can pretty much use every weapon except for tomes due to her poor chakra control. Had her chakra control been a lot better though, she would be able to use tomes as well.)**

A Mage fired a fire ball at Ino, but she managed to dodge it before Guy punched the Daein through a tree. Now only the captain of the scouts, Takota remained.

"You were more skilled than I had expected." He said as Asuma walked towards him.

"Or maybe you just underestimated us." Asuma said.

"Maybe, but it's not over yet!" Takota declared before he charged at Asuma, but said Sarutobi blocked Takota's sword with one of his chakra blades before he cut the guy with the other one.

"Ugh… I… can't believe… we lost… glory… to Daein." Takota said before he died.

"Seems like this battle's over with." Asuma said as he put away his blades.

"h-hey, guys! C-come over here!" They heard Hinata's voice and ran over to where she was to see an unconscious young boy who seemed to have collapsed there.

The boy had blood-red hair that reached down, just beyond his shoulders, he had slightly pale skin, he had pointy ears, he wore a dark-purple t-shirt with a red swirl – just like Naruto's – on the back, he also wore black shorts and he had a golden mark that looked like a magnet on his forehead.

"Who's this?" Kiba asked.

"I-I don't know. H-he w-was like t-this when I f-found him." Hinata said.

"In any case, we should bring him back to the village, he might know something about the Daeins." Asuma said.

Crimea, Port Toha

Ike was standing in front of Mackoya – who had been knocked off of his horse – as both he and the general were both heavily panting from the battle.

"You're better than I had expected. No wonder you were able to get this far." Mackoya said.

"You're not too bad yourself, it's a shame that I'll have to bring this to an end." Ike said.

"Likewise. You could have made an excellent general in the Daein army." Mackoya said before he charged at Ike who also charged at him.

They both passed eachother and held their respective swords out in front of themselves before Mackoya fell to the ground.

"So we were the ones guilty of miscalculation… how shameful…your Excellency… the rest is… up to you…" Were Mackoya's last words before he passed away.

Then Oscar and Kieran rode past Ike and into the harbor where there was a Daein Priest, one Lance Knight, one Sword Knight and one Knight, with the latter guarding the walkway up to Nasir's ship.

Oscar quickly killed the Sword Knight as Kieran took down the Lance Knight before Aran came and stabbed the Priest while Brom knocked the other Knight into the water.

Naruto and the others then came running, with Naruto carrying the still unconscious Mia, bridal style. At seeing this, Lethe started getting jealous of the purple-haired Myrmidon.

"Oh, by the way! Ike-san!" Naruto said as he stopped beside Ike before pointing towards Zihark who was standing just next to him as he continued "This here's Zihark-san! He wants to join us!"

"I see. Welcome to the Greil Mercenaries, Zihark-san!" Ike said, but what none of them noticed was that a young boy with green hair snuck aboard the ship as they were talking.

The mercenaries then boarded the ship before the boat started sailing as the Black Knight suddenly appeared near the harbor.

"… The mercenaries boarded the ship safely. Now, how to proceed…" He said before Ranulf suddenly came running.

"You're not impeding that ship. I won't allow it." He said.

"One of Gallia's beast warriors… I've met you once before. Yes… at the castle near the sea of trees." The Black Knight said.

"From where I'm standing, we've actually met twice." Ranulf said.

"Oh?" The Black Knight wondered when the other time was.

"I saw you that night… standing in the light of the full moon. The night you murdered Greil-san." Ranulf said.

"Ha ha! So you were the one traveling with the beast king, eh? Interesting. By measuring his aide's strength, I will naturally learn more of the king's true power." The Black Knight said.

"Hate to tell you this, but my king is not to be measured against the likes of me. he is far beyond that." Ranulf said.

"All the better. Now then, let us begin." The Black Knight said before Ranulf transformed and charged at the knight.

Ranulf jumped over the Black Knight and when he landed behind him, he quickly turned around and charged again. He struck his claws at the knights back, but there were no damage done to the knights armor at all, not even a scratch.

Ranulf then jumped back as the Black Knight swung his sword at him, but he managed to dodge it before charging again, and this time he aimed for the knight's head. But as he approached it, the Black Knight swung his sword upwards and sent Ranulf flying into a building.

"… **Ugh… why? Why do my attacks do nothing?"** Ranulf asked mostly himself as he managed to stand up on his feet.

"You fight impressively. However, you are no match for me." The Black Knight said as he walked towards Ranulf and held the sword over the cat in a way, so that it was pointing downwards. But suddenly, Ranulf was engulfed by a yellow light before said light vanished and the cat's wounds had all been healed. Then, suddenly came Sephiran walking towards them.

"Leave this to me." He said.

"**You… you were one of the prisoners…"** Ranulf said.

"This knight will not raise his hand to me. … Correct?" Sephiran said, but the knight didn't respond and he continued "Go now, quickly!" Sephiran said.

"**If you insist! I'll give proper thanks when next time we meet."** Ranulf said before running off.

With Ha'ar and Jill

"Commander Ha'ar-san! Let us pursue the enemy ship! They're friends of the sub-humans! We cannot allow them to escape!" Jill said.

"Uwaaaaaahhh… that was a good nap. Well, looks like the fighting's over. Form up. It's time to withdraw." Ha'ar said.

"Commander!" Jill yelled.

"Listen to me, Jill-san. We're scheduled to return home tomorrow. If you were injured in a place like this, your lord father would not be pleased." Ha'ar said.

"It's because of my father that I must not return home empty-handed. I must have something to show him! Please…" Jill said, but Ha'ar cut her off.

"Simmer down, girl. Black Knight-sama has ordered us to withdraw. Would you ignore his word?" Ha'ar said.

"Th-that…" Jill started, but her superior cut her off once again.

"Would be suicide. Correct. So let's move out!" Ha'ar said.

"Blast." Jill muttered before they started to fly away.

With the Black Knight and Sephiran

A Daein Sniper named Norris came from the harbor.

"B-Black Knight-sama! A ship is departing! If we ready our own ship and set sail without delay, we can overtake it immediately!" He said, but the Black Knight didn't respond.

"Listen to me, Daein general. You will withdraw from this place. I will not allow you to pursue that ship." Sephiran said.

"Who are you supposed to be, fool? You've no idea who you're speaking to, do you?" Norris said.

"Gather your men. … Withdraw." The Black Knight ordered.

"Y-yet we…" Norris started, but the Black Knight cut him off.

"I will not repeat myself. Do it now." The Black Knight said.

"Yes… yes, at once!" Norris said before leaving to gather the men.

Unknown location

In a dark cave there were nine rainbow colored projections that was standing in a circle and the only parts of their bodies that was left clearly visible were their eyes.

One of them had purple eyes with four rings in it like ripples that were centered on the pupil. Another one had orange eyes, one of them looked like a weird plant-like contraption, one of them had a fully evolved Sharingan and it was possible to see two large wings coming out of his back. One of them had a large sword on his back, one of them had a three-bladed scythe on his back, one of them had green eyes, one of them had only one visible eye while he also had two large wings coming out of his back. And the last one was smaller than the others, but somehow seemed larger.

"Tell me, have any of you located your targets?" The one with purple eyes said.

"Hai, leader-sama! I have located the Kyubi, it's a ninja in Konoha named Uzumaki Naruto!" The one with the Sharingan said.

"I've located the Gobi, he's a ninja of Iwa named Han!" The one with orange eyes said with a feminine voice.

"I've located the Nanabi, she's a ninja of Taki named Fu!" The one with green eyes said.

"And the rest of you?" The supposed leader asked after the rest had been silent for a little while, but they all shook their heads "I see. Kakuzu, Hidan! I have a new mission for you two!"

"A new mission? I hope I can get to sacrifice someone to Jashin-sama." The one with the scythe on his back said.

"Leader-sama, I don't think that'd be a good idea. Thanks to one of Sasori's spies, we have learned that the Nanabi will be sent to Konoha for better protection, and Jiraiya is due to arrive at Taki within a week. After that, we won't be able to get to her without having to deal with him. And even if we win, there's no way we could get out of Konoha after wards!" The one with green eyes said.

"Yes, I know, but this is a more urgent matter than capturing the Nanabi. It seems that a land has been discovered on the other side of the Desert of Death, I'm sending the two of you to check it out!" The leader said.

"Understood, leader-sama!" The one with green eyes said before he and the one with the scythe vanished.

Land of Fire, Konoha, Hokage tower

The three teams were once again standing in front of Tsunade's desk.

"So you found him just lying there?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Asuma said.

"I see, well in that case, when he wakes up he'll be in your hands." Tsunade said.

"WHAT?" Kiba yelled.

"This is gonna be such a drag." Shikamaru said before the door suddenly opened to reveal a panting Shizune.

"The kid, he's awake." She said.

Crimea, Port Toha

Night had fallen on the port town as a Daein soldier was informing Norris of something.

"Are you sure that's true?" Norris asked.

"Yes! You can ask these two for more details." The soldier said as two civilians walked up to Norris.

"The two of us, we're representing the townsfolk." An older man said.

"You say that a green-haired lass boarded that ship?" Norris asked.

"H-hai! She had a very noble bearing about her… and she was beautiful." A younger man said.

"Her name was… Ellie? Ellen? They called her something like that." The older man said.

"It's true! Princess Elincia… ha ha! My luck has changed." Norris said.

"All of us, all the townsfolk, are ready to cooperate in any way we can! If you would keep that in mind… um…" The older man said.

"Believe me, I understand your… loyalty." Norris said.

"Well then…" The younger man said.

"You there! Come here!" Norris said as he pointed at one of his men.

"Yes, sir! Right here." The soldier said as he came over.

"Get these two worms out of here. Find the hardest physical labor in this town and get these fools started. Work 'em from dusk to dawn without stopping. Work 'em until they can no longer move! You got that!" Norris said.

"Yes, sir! Understood, sir!" The soldier said.

"B-but, that's…" The younger man said.

"Why? Why would you…" The older man said.

"Stop your whining. How else am I to reward worms vile enough to sell their own princess to the enemy? Enjoy your payment, you greedy dastards!" Norris said before he started laughing.

"Our own… princess? That's not… it can't be. It can't!" The older man said.

"No… nooooooo!" The younger man said as they were dragged away as Norris continued laughing.

Nasir's ship

"Ike-san! How wonderful! I didn't think you were going to make it…" Elincia said.

"I'm sorry to have worried you." Ike said.

"Oh, no, I'm just happy to see you well. So very… happy." Elincia said.

Gallia, forest, near border to Crimea

Ranulf was running through the forest until he eventually stopped and looked back towards were he had come from as he panted.

"Huff… huff… Whew! I doubt the enemy will pursue me this far." He said.

"A warrior such as you, wounded? Did a Beorc give you that bruise?" A voice said and Ranulf turned around to see…

"Giffca-sama! Owwwww!" The cat said as he fell down on his knees from the pain.

"The king told me to come and check on you. Don't move…" Giffca said as he got down on his knees and started to examine the cat "Hm, you're plenty banged up, but nothing appears to be broken."

"There's one among the Daein army whose power is overwhelming. To move with such speed with all that armor… I tell you, it's not right! And now, the king's forced to use you – his shadow warrior – to check up on me… our ministers are as obstinate as ever. No matter what happens, they will not approve of an alliance with the Beorc." Ranulf said.

"Nothing to be done about that. Every one of the older retainers has memories of Laguz subordination. Even the king. If Princess Elincia-sama were not King Ramon-sama's orphan, I doubt he would be willing to aid her." Giffca said.

"Perhaps you're right… at any rate, the princess and the others are now safely at sea." Ranulf said.

"And the watchdog? No signs of carelessness, I presume." Giffca said.

"Of course not. Even the elders will bend their ears to hear what one says, that one is "special" after all." Ranulf said.

"And how do you see this? Princess Elincia-sama's drive for the reconstruction of Crimea. Does she have a chance?" Giffca asked.

"Eh, who can say? Which way the wheel turns depends on Ike-san and his mercenaries. Success and failure are but a hair removed." Ranulf said.

"So this company, which has done nothing but flee, controls the fate of the kingdom? That's a dangerous gamble, isn't it?" Giffca asked.

"All gambles are dangerous, Giffca-sama. But no mistake about it, Daein's next target is Gallia. We must go home and prepare!" Ranulf said before they started running towards the castle.

Crimea, Melior, throne room

"… Princess Crimea, did she board the ship to Begnion with the remainder of Gawain-san's mercenaries?" A man who was sitting on the throne asked.

He had purplish-blue hair, black armor and a red cape. This was none other than King Ashnard himself.

"Yes." The Black Knight said.

"The hindrance that was Gawain-san is dead. The location of the medallion… will soon be known." Ashnard said.

"Actually, King Ashnard-sama! During the battle, I saw the medallion and the one who was carrying it." The black Knight said.

"Oh? And who is it?" Ashnard asked.

"Gawain-senpai's daughter!" The Black Knight said.

"And why didn't you take it from her?" Ashnard asked.

"There was someone who stopped me from doing so!" The Black Knight said.

"And do you know who it was?" Ashnard asked.

"I believe so, my king! He wielded one of the seven swords of the legendary Golden-Dragons. I believe he might be a descendant of them!" The Black Knight said.

"If he is, then next time you meet him, you must kill him! The Golden-Dragons were the strongest of all sub-humans, they were so strong in fact that even if a Golden-Dragon married a human, their children would still be able to transform! It wouldn't matter how far down in the generations it would go, whether he's a sub-human or a Branded, as long as he's a descendant of the Golden-Dragons, he will possess the ability to transform! And if he do transform, he could wipe out our entire army in mere seconds! After all, there's a good reason why even the Black-Dragons feared them!" Ashnard said.

"Don't worry, next time I see him, he's dead!" The Black Knight said.

"Good, now on to other matters. Has our "worm" worked itself into the group?" Ashnard asked.

"It appears that our worm has been accepted as a trusted member of the company." The Black Knight said.

"Heh heh heh. All is going as planned. Now, we let them swim as they please." Ashnard said.

"… There is one more thing. I met someone unexpected at the harbor." The Black Knight said.

"Who?" Ashnard asked.

"The prime minister of the Begnion Empire…" The Black Knight said.

"What? ... Is that true? If he is nosing about, we must not make any mistakes. Did he give any indication he had caught on to our plans?" Ashnard asked.

"That… I do not know. He did tell me to deliver a message to you… "overreaching ambition invites disaster"." The Black Knight said.

"Pah. Nonsense. Our only concern is the princess of Crimea and the medallion. We must wait and watch until such time as we can strike. In the interim, I want you to take charge of the invasion of Gallia. Be smart. You must not allow Gallia to bring their full might to bear. Understood?" Ashnard said.

"… As you will." The Black Knight said before walking towards the door and he passed by a man on the way.

The man had black, spiky hair, he wore a weird black armor, he had a swirly orange mask, covering his face with a single eyehole over his right eye and finally, he had two fiery red wings coming out of his back.

"Ah. Madara-san! For what reason do I owe this pleasure?" Ashnard asked.

"I had Pain send two of his subordinates in the Akatsuki across the desert to help you in the war on this side. Their known as the Zombie-Duo, their names are Kakuzu and Hidan." The man, now identified as Madara said.

Land of Fire, Konoha, hospital

Tsunade, Shizune and the three teams walked into the hospital room where the young boy was resting. The boy was looking out the window, but when he heard the door close, he looked towards the Konoha-nins.

"Okay, now first, thing's first. Who are you?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm Uzumaki Arashi of Uzushiogakure no sato!" The boy said with a smile, shocking everyone in the room… wasn't Uzushio destroyed during the last Great Ninja War?

Chapter preview

Nasir "A stowaway. I gather he boarded the ship at Toha."

Sothe "I'm… looking for someone. I heard this ship was sailing for Begnion, so I decided to climb aboard."

Arashi "Ever since I can remember, I've had these magnetic powers." (CRASH) "Though I'm not very good at controlling them!"

Cee "Those two possesses Kyubi's chakra, there's no doubt about it. They're the Gold & Silver brothers!"

Ay "WHAT? Bring Darui here!"

Naruto "Next time on Naruto: Path of Radiance: Kumo vs Daein."

Darui "Sorry Daeins, but I'm gonna make you drab!"

Character status

Naruto: Class: Genin.

Level: 20

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Oroike, Harem, Kage Bunshin, Uzumaki Naruto rendan, Kuchiyose, Rasengan, Futon: Kamikaze.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken, Kyukiri no Kiba.

Race: Fox Laguz.

Supports: Ike, Soren, Mia, Sakura, Mist, Rolf, Lethe, Zihark.

Ike: class: Ranger.

Level: 18

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: regal sword.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Oscar, Soren, Titania, Lethe.

Titania: Class: Paladin.

Level: 16

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Ike, Boyd, Mist, Sakura.

Boyd: Class: Fighter.

Level: 15

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron axe, hand axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Titania, Mist, Brom.

Oscar: Class: Lance knight.

Level: 17

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Ike, Aran, Kieran.

Rhys: Class: Priest.

Level: 11

Techniques: Heal, Restore.

Weapons: heal staff, mend staff, restore staff.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Titania, Mia, Rolf, Sakura, Kieran.

Soren: Class: Mage.

Level: 11

Techniques: Wind, El-wind, Critical hit.

Weapons: Wind tome, El-wind tome.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Ike, Naruto.

Mia: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel sword.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Rhys, Sakura, Ilyana.

Sakura: Class: Genin.

Level: 7

Techniques: Henge, Kawarimi, Bunshin, Thunder, Wind.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken, thunder tome, wind tome.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Aran, Titania, Rhys, Mia, Ilyana, Mist, Nephenee.

Aran: Class: Soldier.

Level: 14

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Sakura, Oscar.

Ilyana: Class: Mage.

Level: 10

Techniques: Thunder, El-Thunder.

Weapons: Thunder tome, El-thunder tome.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Mia, Sakura, Mordecai, Zihark.

Mist: Class: Cleric.

Level: 4

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Heal.

Weapons: heal staff.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rolf, Boyd, Titania, Naruto, Sakura, Mordecai.

Rolf: Class: Archer.

Level: 4

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Critical hit.

Weapons: Rolf's bow.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Mist, Naruto, Marcia.

Marcia: Class: Pegasus Knight.

Level: 6

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: javelin.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rolf, Kieran.

Lethe: Class: Cat.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Cat Laguz.

Supports: Naruto, Ike.

Mordecai: Class: Tiger.

Level: 4

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Tiger Laguz.

Supports: Ilyana, Mist.

Volke: Class: Thief.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: knife.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: none

Kieran: Class: Axe Knight.

Level: 14

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel axe, short axe.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Rhys, Marcia, Oscar.

Brom: Class: Knight.

Level: 10

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: steel lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Nephenee, Boyd, Zihark.

Nephenee: Class: Soldier.

Level: 8

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: iron lance.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Brom, Sakura.

Zihark: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 11

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: killing edge.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Naruto, Ilyana, Brom.

Kurenai: Class: Gen Jonin.

Level: 5

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Magen: Jubaku satsu, Fuja Hoin.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Asuma, Kiba, Hinata, Shino.

Kiba: Class: Genin.

Level: 12

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Jujin Bunshin, Konbi Henge, Tsuuga, Gatsuuga, Shikyaku.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Dog Laguz.

Supports: Hinata, Kurenai, Shino.

Hinata: Class: Genin.

Level: 6

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Juken, Shotei, Shugohakke rokujuyon sho, Hakkesho Kaiten.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Cat Laguz.

Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan.

Supports: Neji, Kiba, Kurenai, Shino.

Shino: Class: Genin.

Level: 11

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Kikaichu, Mushi Bunshin, Mushi Kame, Tetsuzanko, Hijutsu: Mushiyose, Hijutsu: Mushidama.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Kurenai, Hinata, Kiba.

Asuma: Class: Ken Jonin.

Level: 16

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Katon: Haisekisho, Senko jujiki, Hien, Futon: Fujin, Futon: Suiran reppu, Raigo: Senjusatsu.

Weapons: chakra blades.

Race: Black-Dragon Laguz.

Supports: Kurenai, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino.

Shikamaru: Class: Chunin.

Level: 2

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Kagemane, Kage-Kubishibari, Ino-Shika-Cho.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Asuma, Choji, Ino.

Choji: Class: Genin.

Level: 7

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Mizudan suisha, Baika, Nikudan sensha, Ino-Shika-Cho.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Asuma, Shikamaru, Ino.

Ino: Class: Genin.

Level: 5

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Kibaku hana, Shintenshin, Ino-Shika-Cho.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Branded.

Supports: Asuma, Shikamaru, Choji.

Guy: Class: Tai Jonin.

Level: 16

Techniques: Konoha Senpou, Konoha Daisenpou, Dainamikku Entori, Daburu Dainamikku Entori, Dainamikku-Akushyon, Konoha Tsumuji Senpou, Konoha Reppu, Konoha Daisenko, Konoha Kaigansho, Konoha Goriki Senpou, Goken, Kuchiyose, Omote Renge.

Weapons: Nunchaku.

Race: Tiger Laguz.

Supports: Rock Lee, Neji, Tenten.

Rock Lee: Class: Genin.

Level: 18

Techniques: Konoha Senpou, Kagebuyo, Omote renge, Konoha Reppu, Konoha Daisenpou, Suiken, Dainamikku entori, Konoha shofu.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Cat Laguz.

Supports: Guy, Neji, Tenten.

Neji: Class: Genin.

Level: 20

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Juken, Hakkesho Kaiten, Hakke rokujuyon sho, Shotei.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Cat Laguz.

Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan.

Supports: Hinata, Guy, Rock Lee, Tenten.

Tenten: Class: Genin.

Level: 11

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Sogu baku ryusei, Soshoryu.

Weapons: just about everything.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Guy, Neji, Rock Lee.

Ranulf: Class: Cat.

Level: 9

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: none

Race: Cat Laguz.

Young Kakashi: Class: Chunin.

Level: 16

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Chidori, Doton: Moguragakure.

Weapons: Hakko Chakura To.

Race: Beorc.

Supports: Minato, Obito, Rin, Greil, Titania, Ranulf, Guy.

Obito: Class: Genin.

Level: 10

Techniques: Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, Katon: Goukakyo.

Weapons: kunai, shuriken.

Race: Phoenix Laguz.

Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan.

Supports: Kakashi, Minato, Rin, Tibarn.

Mackoya: Class: Paladin.

Level: 5

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Laguz-slayer, iron bow.

Race: Beorc.

Takota: Class: Myrmidon.

Level: 15

Weapons: steel sword.

Race: Beorc.

Black Knight: Class: Black Knight.

Level: 20

Techniques: Critical hit.

Weapons: Alondite.

Race: unknown

Mysterious man: Class: Gravity Sage.

Techniques: Juryoku no Zoka, Fukkatsu no Hikari, Hikari Baria, rest is unknown.

Weapons: Juryoku no Kiba.

Race: Golden-Dragon Laguz?

**Kurama no Kyubi:** And that's that chapter, now we're done with the Gallia arc. By the way, Guy said earlier that he came from Begnion, and that's true, he came from Begnion and was a slave to a Begnion noble until Kakashi saved him.

**Young Kakashi: **He was lucky I found him, when I was looking for the dobe who had vanished.

**Kurama no Kyubi: **On another note, in case you're wondering what the seven strongest elements are, well here's the weakest to the strongest: Magnetism, Space, Gravity, Chakra, Time, Light/Darkness. There is actually a lot of dispute about what element's stronger, Light or Darkness, but in actuality, they're just as strong as one-another. Now I'm afraid that you have to wait for a while since I'll be moving on to continue writing Tales of Shippuden, but don't worry, I'll get back to this story soon enough. Oh! I almost forgot, if you're wondering how Kinkaku and Ginkaku are still alive, one word: Lehran.


End file.
